embarazada
Looks like embarrassed
Means pregnant
"embarrassed" avergonzado/a
“Mi hermana está embarazada.” = “My sister is pregnant.”
A false friend (Spanish: falso amigo) is a word that looks or sounds similar in two languages but has a different meaning. The classic example: embarazada looks like embarrassed, but it actually means pregnant — a mix-up that has caused many red faces. Use the search box to filter, and tap any card to read the example.
28 false friends
éxito
Looks like exit
Means success
"exit" salida
“La película fue un éxito.” = “The film was a success.”
librería
Looks like library
Means bookstore
"library" biblioteca
“Compré un libro en la librería.” = “I bought a book at the bookstore.”
ropa
Looks like rope
Means clothes
"rope" cuerda
“Me gusta tu ropa.” = “I like your clothes.”
sopa
Looks like soap
Means soup
"soap" jabón
“La sopa está caliente.” = “The soup is hot.”
carpeta
Looks like carpet
Means folder / binder
"carpet" alfombra
“Guarda los papeles en la carpeta.” = “Keep the papers in the folder.”
constipado
Looks like constipated
Means having a cold
"constipated" estreñido
“Estoy constipado.” = “I have a cold.”
molestar
Looks like to molest
Means to bother / annoy
"to molest" abusar / agredir
“No quiero molestar.” = “I don’t want to bother you.”
asistir
Looks like to assist
Means to attend
"to assist" ayudar
“Voy a asistir a la reunión.” = “I will attend the meeting.”
realizar
Looks like to realize
Means to carry out / achieve
"to realize" darse cuenta
“Realizó su sueño.” = “She achieved her dream.”
actualmente
Looks like actually
Means currently / nowadays
"actually" en realidad / de hecho
“Actualmente vivo en Madrid.” = “I currently live in Madrid.”
eventualmente
Looks like eventually
Means possibly / occasionally
"eventually" finalmente / con el tiempo
“Eventualmente hay problemas.” = “Occasionally there are problems.”
sensible
Looks like sensible
Means sensitive
"sensible" sensato/a
“Es una persona muy sensible.” = “He is a very sensitive person.”
fábrica
Looks like fabric
Means factory
"fabric" tela
“Trabaja en una fábrica.” = “She works in a factory.”
pie
Looks like pie
Means foot
"pie" (dessert) pastel / tarta
“Me duele el pie.” = “My foot hurts.”
red
Looks like red
Means net / network
"red" (color) rojo
“No hay red wifi.” = “There is no wifi network.”
once
Looks like once
Means eleven (11)
"once" (one time) una vez
“Son las once.” = “It is eleven o’clock.”
vaso
Looks like vase
Means (drinking) glass
"vase" florero / jarrón
“Un vaso de agua, por favor.” = “A glass of water, please.”
largo
Looks like large
Means long
"large" grande
“Es un viaje muy largo.” = “It is a very long trip.”
recordar
Looks like to record
Means to remember
"to record" grabar
“No recuerdo su nombre.” = “I don’t remember his name.”
introducir
Looks like to introduce (a person)
Means to insert / put in
"introduce someone" presentar
“Introduce la tarjeta.” = “Insert the card.”
lectura
Looks like lecture
Means reading
"lecture" conferencia / clase
“La lectura es mi pasatiempo.” = “Reading is my hobby.”
casualidad
Looks like casualty
Means coincidence / chance
"casualty" víctima / baja
“¡Qué casualidad!” = “What a coincidence!”
compromiso
Looks like compromise
Means commitment / engagement
"compromise" acuerdo / arreglo
“Tengo un compromiso mañana.” = “I have a commitment tomorrow.”
demandar
Looks like to demand
Means to sue (legally)
"to demand" exigir
“Lo van a demandar.” = “They are going to sue him.”
carta
Looks like cart
Means letter (mail) / menu
"cart" carro / carrito
“Te escribí una carta.” = “I wrote you a letter.”
firma
Looks like firm
Means signature
"firm" (company) empresa
“Necesito su firma aquí.” = “I need your signature here.”
campo
Looks like camp
Means field / countryside
"camp" campamento
“Vivimos en el campo.” = “We live in the countryside.”
No false friends match your search. Try another word.
How to remember false friends
The trick is to learn the correct word at the same time you learn the trap. When you see librería, immediately pair it: “bookstore, not library — library is biblioteca.” Learning words in true-vs-false pairs builds a stronger memory than memorizing them alone.
Keep practising your Spanish-to-English skills across Llexi:
Frequently asked questions
What are false friends in Spanish and English?
False friends (Spanish: falsos amigos) are words that look or sound similar in Spanish and English but have different meanings. For example, embarazada looks like “embarrassed” but means “pregnant.” They are a common source of mistakes for language learners in both directions.
Why is “embarazada” the most famous false friend?
Because the mistake is memorable and awkward: an English speaker who says “Estoy embarazada” thinking it means “I’m embarrassed” is actually announcing “I’m pregnant.” The correct word for embarrassed is avergonzado/a.
How can I learn false friends quickly?
Learn them in pairs: memorize both the false meaning and the correct translation at the same time. Use the filter on this page to test yourself, then practise with example sentences. Reviewing 5–10 pairs a day is more effective than trying to memorize all of them at once.