Ever said you were “embarazada” when you meant “embarrassed”? Oops. Spanish is full of words that look like English—some help you, others trick you. Today you’ll learn to spot true cognates (your friends) and avoid false friends (the traps), with practical examples and quick exercises you can do right away.

Cognates: Your Helpful Look‑alikes

Cognates are words that look similar and share meaning across languages. English and Spanish share tons thanks to Latin roots.

Common true cognates you’ll see all the time:

• información – information
• familia – family
• televisión – television
• posible – possible
• cultural – cultural

Notice the patterns:

• English “-tion” often matches Spanish “-ción” (información, nación, educación)
• English “-al” often matches Spanish “-al” with the same meaning (cultural, personal)
• English “-ible/-able” → Spanish “-ible/-able” (posible, adorable)

Use these to guess meaning—but always check context.

, estudio y trabajo.

False Friends: The Sneaky Ones

These look familiar but mean something else in Spanish. Learn the correct meaning and an alternative for the English idea you might be thinking of.

Quick fixes for common mix‑ups

Estoy embarazada cuando me equivoco. → Estoy avergonzado/a cuando me equivoco. Embarazada = pregnant; avergonzado = embarrassed. Voy a asistir a mi hijo en el hospital. → Voy a atender a mi hijo en el hospital. Asistir = attend (go to); atender = attend to (look after). El proyecto fue un gran exit. → El proyecto tuvo mucho éxito. Éxito = success; salida = exit. Finalmente me realicé que era tarde. → Finalmente me di cuenta de que era tarde. Realizar = carry out/achieve; “to realize” = darse cuenta.

Try it: Identify the meaning

Choose the correct meaning or usage for each word.

Asistir vs. Atender: Tiny difference, big impact

• asistir = to go/attend an event or class
• atender = to look after, serve, or deal with a person/task

Use asistir with places and events; use atender with people or problems.

Mi hermano a la universidad todos los días.

“Actually” vs. “Actualmente” vs. “En realidad”

• actualmente = currently, at present
• en realidad = actually, in fact

These are easy to confuse because “actual” looks familiar. Remember: “actual” in Spanish means “current,” not “real.”

No puedo el olor del humo.

Cultural note: “Constipado” and regional usage

In Spain, estar constipado means “to have a cold” (stuffed nose). In many Latin American countries, resfriado is more common for “a cold.” If you mean “constipated” (digestive issue), say estreñido/a.

Also, americano can refer to anyone from the Americas. If you mean “from the U.S.,” use estadounidense.

Introducir vs. Presentar

Introducir = to insert/bring in (ideas, products) Presentar = to introduce (a person) or to present (a topic)

Use presentar when you introduce people.

Quick recap

• Trust common cognate patterns (-ción, -idad, -al), but verify with context.
• False friends to memorize: embarazada (pregnant), asistir (attend), atender (attend to), sensible (sensitive), sensato (sensible), éxito (success), realizar (carry out/achieve), darse cuenta (to realize), ropa (clothes), carpeta (folder).
• Cultural nuance matters: constipado/resfriado/estreñido; americano/estadounidense.

Keep a personal list of confusing pairs and add examples that feel natural to your life.

Final practice

Write 3 sentences using: actualmente, éxito, presentar. Try to include one false friend corrected (e.g., avoid “actualmente” for “actually”). You’ve got this—¡tú puedes!