Kilo Lingo
Spanish grammar Part of Chapter 45

CEFR B1-B2

2 min read

Test yourself (14 questions)

Spanish False Friends (Part 1): embarazada, actual

By Michael McGettrick and Sergio Linares-HernandesUpdated 12 October 2026

A false friend is a Spanish word that looks like an English one and means something else. Learn each one with the word you were reaching for:

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Pick the right one

0/3

Choose the word that means the English in brackets.

  1. Mi hermana está . Va a tener un bebé. (pregnant)

  2. vivo en Madrid. (currently)

  3. Compré el libro en una . (bookshop)

  • . - My boss is pregnant.
  • . - I'm embarrassed.

False friends at a glance

the false friendthe word you wantedWhat do the colours mean?
SpanishMeansYou wanted
pregnantembarrassed:
currentactual:
currentlyactually:
to carry outto realise:
to attendto assist:
sensitivesensible:
constipadohaving a coldconstipated: estreñido
successexit:
bookshoplibrary:
foldercarpet:
factoryfabric:
clothesrope:
soupsoap:
longlarge:
to insertto introduce someone:

Embarazada: the one that causes real embarrassment

the false friendthe word you wantedWhat do the colours mean?

means pregnant. The learner who wants to say they feel awkward and says " " has announced a very advanced pregnancy:

  • . - My sister is pregnant.
  • . - I'm embarrassed.
  • . - I'm embarrassed (said by a man).

Me (literally, it gives me shame) is the everyday way to say it. agrees: a woman says .

Actual, realizar, asistir, sensible: the abstract traps

the false friendthe word you wantedWhat do the colours mean?

These four turn up in every conversation, so they do the most damage:

False friendSpanishEnglish
actual the current government
Madrid.I currently live in Madrid.
.We'll carry out a study.
.I'll attend the conference.
.He/she is very sensitive.

For the English word you meant:

EnglishSpanishEnglish
actually , .Actually, I don't know.
to realise .I realised it was late.
to assist¿ ?Can I help you?
.He/she is very .

does mean help in formal or medical use ( , to tend an injured person), but everyday help is .

In standard Spanish does not mean notice. To realise is , with before a noun or a clause.

Everyday things: librería, carpeta, ropa, sopa

the false friendthe word you wantedWhat do the colours mean?

Several false friends are things you can point at. Here is what each Spanish word really is:

  • a bookshopa bookshop
  • a foldera folder
  • clothesclothes
  • soupsoup
  • a factorya factory

And here is the Spanish for the English word it looks like:

  • a librarya library
  • a carpeta carpet
  • a ropea rope
  • soapsoap
  • fabricfabric

One dull sentence can hide two traps:

  • . - I bought a folder in the bookshop.

Constipado, éxito, largo, introducir

the false friendthe word you wantedWhat do the colours mean?

These four change what a whole sentence says:

False friendSpanishEnglish
constipado constipado.I' got a cold. (Spain)
.The film was a big success.
.It was a very long journey.
.Insert your card.

The way out is the . does introduce changes or a new product, but you introduce a person with :

  • . - The exit is at the back.
  • . - Let me introduce you to my brother.

Mistakes English speakers make

the word you wantedWhat do the colours mean?

Every Spanish word in the middle column is real Spanish. It just says something else:

To sayNotBut
I'm embarrassed . .
actually
I realised
a library
I'm constipated constipado. estreñido.

What to do next

  1. Write each false friend next to the word you wanted, never alone.
  2. Do the drill below.
  3. Then false friends, part 2: , , and the other verbs.

Practise: test yourself

Pick the right one

0/5

Choose the word that means the English in brackets.

  1. Mi hermana está . Va a tener un bebé. (pregnant)

  2. vivo en Madrid. (currently)

  3. Compré el libro en una . (bookshop)

  4. La película tuvo mucho . (success)

  5. Te a mi hermano. (let me introduce)

Matching

0/6

Match each Spanish word to what it really means.

Spot the mistake

0/3

Each sentence uses a false friend where the speaker meant the English look-alike. Tap it.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a false friend in Spanish?
A Spanish word that looks like an English one but means something else: is pregnant, not embarrassed; is a bookshop, not a library. They are dangerous because they feel obvious, so you never check them. Learn each one as a pair with the word you meant: (bookshop), (library).
Does embarrassed?
No, it means pregnant: (my sister is pregnant). For embarrassed say (I am embarrassed, literally it gives me shame) or , for a woman.
What does in Spanish?
Currently, at the moment: Madrid (I currently live in Madrid). For the English actually, meaning in fact, say or : (actually, I do not know). Actual is current: (the current government).
Why is not the same as to realise?
means to carry out or to make happen: a (we are going to carry out a study). To realise, in the sense of notice, is : (I realised it was late).
Does constipado mean constipated?
No. In Spain constipado means to have a cold: constipado (I have got a cold). Constipated is estreñido. In much of Latin America people say for a cold, so constipado is less of a trap there, but the trap is still worth knowing.