False Friends
The following section will help you to avoid many common mistakes. False friends are words that look alike but have different meanings. There are numerous false friends in Italian and English!
-FACT
There are thousands of cognates between Italian and English, but some of them can be false friends! Make sure you know the true meaning of a word before working it into your spoken language.
addizioneaddiction |
addizione = sum |
ahd-deets-YOH-nay |
|
annoiatoannoyed |
annoiato = bored |
ahn-noy-YAH-toh |
|
apprendereto apprehend |
apprendere = to learn |
ahp-PREHN-deh-ray |
|
argomento>argument |
argomento = subject |
ahr-goh-MEHN-toh |
|
assistereto assist |
assistere = to attend |
ahs-SEES-teh-ray |
|
assoass |
asso = ace |
ahss-soh |
|
attendereto attend |
attendere = to wait |
aht-TEHN-deh-ray |
|
attualmenteactually |
attualmente = currently |
aht-too-ahl-MEHN-tay |
|
baldobald |
baldo = courageous |
BAHL-doh |
|
bravobrave |
bravo = good/clever |
BRAH-voh |
|
cameracamera |
camera = room |
KAH-meh-rah |
|
cantinacanteen |
cantina = cellar |
kahn-TEE-nah |
|
caldocold |
caldo = hot |
KAHL-doh |
|
collegiocollege |
collegio = boarding school |
kohl-LEH-jee-yoh |
|
comprensivocomprehensive |
comprensivo = understanding |
kohm-prehn-SEE-voh |
|
concorrenzaconcurrence |
concorrenza = competition |
kohn-kohr-REHN-Zah |
|
cocomerocucumber |
cocomero = watermelon |
koh-KOH-meh-roh |
|
delusionedelusion |
delusione = disappointment |
deh-looz-YOH-nay |
|
disgraziadisgrace |
disgrazia =misfortune |
dees-GRAHTS-see-yah |
|
editore = editor |
editore = publisher |
eh-dee-TOH-ray |
|
educatoeducated |
educato = polite |
eh-doo-KAH-toh |
|
eventualmenteeventually |
eventualmente = possibly, if necessary |
eh-vehn-too-ahl-MEHN-tay |
|
fabbricafabric |
fabbrica = factory |
FAHB-bree-kah |
|
fattoriafactory |
fattoria = farm |
faht-toh-REE-yah |
|
inabitatoinhabited |
inabitato = uninhabited |
een-ah-bee-TAH-toh |
|
genitorejanitor |
genitore = parent |
jeh-nee-TOH-ray |
|
parenteparent |
parente = relative |
pah-REHN-tay |
|
largolarge |
largo = wide |
LAHR-goh |
|
letturalecture |
lettura = reading |
leht-TOO-rah |
|
librerialibrary |
libreria = bookstore |
lee-breh-REE-yah |
|
licenziareto license |
licenziare = to dismiss, to fire |
lee-chenz-YAH-ray |
|
lussurialuxury |
lussuria = lust |
loos-soo-REE-yah |
|
magazzinomagazine |
magazzino = warehouse |
mah-gahts-SEE-noh |
|
messamess |
messa = mass |
MEHSS-sah |
|
morbidomorbid |
morbido = soft |
MOHR-bee-doh |
|
notizianotice |
notizia = news |
noh-TEETS-ee-yah |
|
novellanovel |
novella = short story |
noh-VEHL-lah |
|
parenteparent |
parente = relative |
pah-REHN-tay |
|
patentepatent |
patente = driver's license |
pah-TEHN-tay |
|
preservativopreservative |
preservativo = condom |
preh-zehr-vah-TEE-voh |
|
romanzaromance |
romanza = novel |
roh-MAHN-zah |
|
stormostorm |
stormo = flock |
STOHR-moh |
|
tastotaste |
tasto = key (on a keyboard) |
TAHSS-toh |
|
vacanzavacancy |
vacanza = vacation |
vah-KAHN-zah |
