01 burro burro
The food you spread on bread is mantequilla in Spanish. An animal in an Italian story would be an asino.
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Spanish–Italian false friends
Similar words can take a conversation in different directions. Start with six everyday contrasts, then see what you remember in a short quiz.
A false friend is a word that resembles a word in another language but can mislead you about its meaning. Some pairs overlap in other senses. This guide compares only the uses shown in the examples; it does not claim the words always differ.
Six words. How many will you spot?
Choose the meaning that fits the sentence. Your first answer counts; explanations stay available below. This is a practice game, not a proficiency test.
0 / 6 answered · 0 correct
The words, in context.
Original examples by Jajahaha. These are selected everyday meanings, not complete dictionary entries.
02 caldo caldo
In a Spanish recipe, caldo can be what goes into the pot. In the Italian tea example, caldo describes temperature. Italian uses brodo for broth.
03 largo largo
For a route, distance and width answer different questions. Say whether you mean a long walk or a wide path. These words also have other uses; the example sets the sense.
04 salir salire
The near match is tempting, but the direction changes. Italian uscire matches going out; Spanish subir matches going up in these examples.
05 guardar guardare
The Spanish example asks you to keep a photo. The Italian example asks you to look at it. If a short request feels unclear, add what should happen to the photo.
06 pronto pronto
In the Spanish call example, pronto answers “when?”. In the Italian departure example, it describes being ready. The dictionaries include other senses, so translate the whole sentence.
A small habit that catches big misunderstandings.
Before acting on a surprising translation, read the original sentence, identify the action or object, and ask a short follow-up. “Do you mean go upstairs or go outside?” is often more useful than guessing from a familiar-looking word.
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