Top 20 False Cognates for ESL Students

False cognates are the Achille's heel for ESL students. For languages like Spanish and English, most of the words that look and sound the same do have the same meaning, making them an instinctive way to learn a new language. This is because the two languages share many of the same Latin and Greek roots. Spanish-speaking English Learners who grow accustomed to using their first language as a basis for learning English can start assuming that all words that sound the same also share the same meaning. Of course, this is not the case, as anyone who has ever confused the proverbial "embarazada" with "embarrassed" can tell you.

We've been getting many requests to have more content related to false cognates. We hear your feedback and are working on a new false cognates database as we speak, so please stay tuned!

For now, here is a preview of the most frequently confused false cognates, for Spanish-speaking ESL students. We've also created a handy sheet for you to print out and display in the classroom.

English Word Correct Spanish Word Confused With English Translation
actually en realidad actualmente currently
assist ayudar asistir to attend
attend asistir atender to attend to
bizarre extraño bizarro gallant
carpet alfombra carpeta folder
choke estrangular chocar to collide
deception engaño decepción disappointment
embarrassed avergonzado embarazada pregnant
exit salida éxito success
idiom modismo idioma language

Comments

Submitted by Alan (not verified) on Sun, 01/04/2015 - 15:31

You've confused False cognates with false friends. They are two very different things.

Submitted by danielle (not verified) on Thu, 01/15/2015 - 18:31

Can't see all the words

Submitted by tauany (not verified) on Sun, 03/01/2015 - 13:02

super legal

Submitted by Dragan (not verified) on Thu, 04/23/2015 - 07:29

I teach Adult ESOL. Frequently, my Spanish speaking students and I encounter this false cognate:
la advertencia vs. el anuncio.

Thank you!

Submitted by william (not verified) on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 10:06

"Tandem"

just thought i would mentionyou missed one.

William@lamaministry.org

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 06/27/2015 - 14:49

I like this list

Submitted by Elena (not verified) on Sat, 08/15/2015 - 18:42

very handy for my presentation on negative transfer

Submitted by michelle (not verified) on Mon, 08/31/2015 - 15:26

please help me ????????????????
Please and Thankyou

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/04/2016 - 14:07

English word: Realize
Correct Spanish Word/phrase: Darse Cuenta
Confused with: Realizar
Traduccion en Ingles: Hacer

Submitted by scottofhawaii (not verified) on Thu, 06/02/2016 - 11:28

this will be handy for my paper on problems that native-speakers of Spanish have in English semantics

Submitted by Andres Trevino M (not verified) on Wed, 06/08/2016 - 00:48

pedantic - minucioso
pedante - pretentious

Submitted by Wrong! (not verified) on Sat, 06/11/2016 - 14:31

Asistir = asistir - del latín assistere, pararse junto a [un lugar].) ayudar, socorrer

Submitted by Judith Lozada (not verified) on Mon, 06/13/2016 - 04:17

Frozen ---- Congelado

Submitted by Judith Lozada (not verified) on Mon, 06/13/2016 - 04:17

Frozen ---- Congelado

Submitted by Paulo Roberto (not verified) on Sun, 06/19/2016 - 09:58

Very good. I am going to study and memorize .
Thanks for the help

Submitted by Yván (not verified) on Sat, 07/02/2016 - 15:36

Fabric - fábrica

Submitted by Yván (not verified) on Sat, 07/02/2016 - 15:38

Terrific - terrífico - genial

Submitted by simplice (not verified) on Mon, 08/22/2016 - 11:05

thank you very much; it' been so helpul to me

Submitted by Janeth (not verified) on Fri, 10/14/2016 - 21:10

is it letter( carta) a false cognate? I just read in an other web page . To me looks like some people are confuse with letra ( letra del abecedario)

Submitted by Celeny Caicedo ... (not verified) on Mon, 02/13/2017 - 04:47

EXCELLENT MATERIAL

Submitted by B (not verified) on Tue, 02/28/2017 - 05:46

Avocado and Abogado

Submitted by Belynda Margari... (not verified) on Tue, 03/14/2017 - 05:16

Outstanding!

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