We hope that the following list of Spanish false cognates (also known as "false friends") will help you while you are trying to learn Spanish. You can practice many of these words and expressions in the advanced level of the Spanish Whiz program. Please be sure to take a look at the rest of our website for more information.
List of Spanish False Cognates (R - V)
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Raro - Rare
Raro (Span.) = strange
Example:
(Span.) Juan es una persona rara.
(Eng.) Juan is a strange person.
Rare (Eng.) = poco común
Example:
(Eng.) The black stork is becoming rare.
(Span.) La cigüeña negra se hace cada vez menos común
Realizar - Realize
Realizar (Span.) = undertake, fulfill
Example:
(Span.) Se están realizando muchas obras en esta ciudad.
(Eng.) They are undertaking a lot of construction in this city.
Realize (Eng.) = darse cuenta de
Example:
(Eng.) Luego se dio cuenta de que había dejado las llaves dentro de la casa.
(Span.) Later he realized that he had left his keys inside the house.
Recordar - Record
Recordar (Span.) = remember
Example:
(Span.) Nunca puedo recordar su cumpleaños.
(Eng.) I can never remember her birthday.
Record (Eng.) = grabar
Example:
(Eng.) Elvis Presley grabó muchos LPs durante su vida.
(Span.) Elvis Presley recorded a lot of LPs during his life.
Ropa - Rope
Ropa (Span.) = clothes, clothing
Example:
(Span.) Ella compra mucha ropa.
(Eng.) She buys a lot of clothes
Rope (Eng.) = cuerda, soga
Example:
(Eng.) Sujetaron el árbol con una cuerda.
(Span.) They fixed the tree with a rope.
Sensible - Sensible
Sensible (Span.) = sensitive
Example:
(Span.) Tengo la piel sensible donde me quemé.
(Eng.) My skin is sensitive where I burned myself.
Sensible (Eng.) = sensato
Example:
(Eng.) That's a very sensible idea.
(Span.) Esa es una idea muy sensata.
Serioso - Serious
The word "serioso" does NOT EXIST in Spanish. The proper word is "serio". Don't say 'serioso', ever.
Sopa - Soap
Sopa (Span.) = soup
Example:
(Span.) We like to eat soup in the winter.
(Eng.) Nos gusta comer sopa durante el invierno.
Soap (Eng.) = jabón
Example:
(Eng.) Yo uso un jabón líquido en
(Span.) I use a liquid soap in the shower.
Soportar - Support
Soportar (Span.) = bear (stand)
Example:
(Span.) No soporto las telenovelas.
(Eng.) I can't stand soap operas.
Support (Eng.) = apoyar
Example:
(Eng.) We support him in everything he does.
(Span.) Lo apoyamos en todo lo que hace.
Suceso - Success
Suceso (Span.) = event
Example:
(Span.) El suceso ocurrió por la madrugada.
(Eng.) The event happened in the early morning.
Success (Eng.) = éxito
Example:
(Eng.) El tiene mucho éxito con la mujeres.
(Span.) He's very successful with women.
Últimamente - Ultimately
Ultimamente (Span.) = lately
Example:
(Span.) No ha llovido ultimamente.
(Eng.) It hasn't rained lately.
Ultimately (Eng.) = al final
Example:
(Eng.) Ultimately, he'll have to find a job.
(Span.) Al final tendrá que encontrar un trabajo.
Vaso - Vase
Vaso (Span.) = glass
Example:
(Span.) ¿Me trae un vaso de agua?
(Eng.) Will you bring me a glass of water?
Vase (Eng.) = florero
Example:
(Eng.) I want another vase to put the roses in.
(Span.) Quiero otro florero para poner las rosas.
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