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Joaquín Maldonado
Community TutorFalse friends in Spanish: words that look familiar… but can get you into trouble 😅
When learning Spanish, some words feel comfortably familiar.
They look like English, they sound similar… and that’s exactly why they can be dangerous.
Here are 5 very common Spanish false friends that learners often misuse:
1. Embarazada 🤰
❌ Embarrassed
✅ Pregnant
For example: "Está embarazada de cinco meses".
2. Realizar 🧠
❌ I realised
✅ To carry out / to do
For example: "Realicé el trabajo ayer".
(To say “I realised”, Spanish uses "darse cuenta".)
3. Constipado (resfriado) 🤧
❌ Constipated
✅ Having a cold
For example: "Estoy constipado, me duele la garganta".
4. Soportar 💪
❌ To support
✅ To tolerate / to endure
For example: "No soporto el ruido".
(To say “to support”, Spanish usually uses apoyar.)
5. Actualmente ⏳
❌ Actually
✅ Currently
For example: "Actualmente vivo en Madrid".
Learning to recognise them is a big step toward sounding more natural and avoiding awkward moments.
✨ Which of these surprised you the most?
✨ Have you ever used one of these by mistake?
Dec 22, 2025 4:05 PM
Joaquín Maldonado
Language Skills
English, German, Greek, Other, Portuguese, Spanish
Learning Language
Other
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