false friends

False Friends

False Friends or Cognates

In a technical sense, two words that have a common origin are cognates. Most often, cognates are words in two languages that have a common etymology and thus are similar or identical.

Cognates often have a similar meaning, but in some cases the meaning has changed over the centuries in one language or another.

Here we have some examples:

Actually

En realidad

(and no actualmente, that is nowadays or at present)

Argument

Discusión, pelea

(and no argumento de un libro/una película, that is plot)

Arena

Estadio

(and no arena, that is sand)

Arm

Brazo(and no arma, that is gun)

Balloon

GloboAnd no balón that is ball

Brave

Valiente

(and no bravo that is angry)

Carpet

Alfombra(and no carpeta that is folder)

Curse

Maldición(And no curso that is course)

Embarrassed

Avergonzado(and no embarazada that is pregnant)

Fabric

Tela (and no fábrica that is factory)

Parade

(And no pared that is wall)Desfile

Terrific

Fenomenal, genial

(and no terrorífico that is terrifying)

That’s all, plus information on

www.saberingles.com.ar

Thank you so much!