False Friends (Falsi Amici) of the Italian Words in English
We all know what “false friends” mean in languages. Can you guess how many Italian words resemble English ones? Well, way more than you think!
We all know what “false friends” mean in languages. Can you guess how many Italian words resemble English ones? Well, way more than you think!
Let’s look together at some examples in the chart below:
|
ITALIAN WORD |
FALSE FRIEND IN ENGLISH |
REAL ITALIAN MEANING |
|
Attico |
Attic |
Penthouse |
|
Attualmente |
Actually |
Currently |
|
Avvertimento |
Advertisement |
Warning |
|
Ad hoc |
Ad hoc |
bespoke/specific |
|
Agenda |
Agenda |
Notebook |
|
Annoiare |
Annoying |
to bore |
|
Argomento |
Argument |
Topic |
|
Attendere |
Attend |
to wait for |
|
Box |
Box |
Garage /parking space |
|
Bravo |
Brave |
Good boy |
|
Camera |
Camera |
Room |
|
Candido |
Candid |
Pure, innocent |
|
Cantina |
Canteen |
Basement |
|
Cartone |
Cartoon |
Cardboard |
|
Casuale |
Casual |
random |
|
Cesto |
Chest |
Basket |
|
Caldo |
Cold |
hot |
|
Coda |
Code |
Tail/ Queue |
|
Collegio |
College |
Boarding school |
|
Confetti |
Confetti |
Wedding sweets |
|
Confidenza |
Confidence |
close relationship |
|
Conveniente |
Convenient |
good value |
|
Dipendente |
Dependent |
Employee |
|
Delusione |
Delusion |
disappointment |
|
Educato |
Educated |
polite |
|
Editore |
Editor |
Publisher |
|
Esibizione |
Exhibition |
Performance |
|
Estate |
Estate |
Summer |
|
Eventualmente |
Eventually |
possibly |
|
Fattoria |
Factory |
Farm |
|
Finalmente |
Finally |
long last |
|
Gioco |
Joke |
Game |
|
Grosso |
Gross |
big |
|
Incidente |
Incident |
Accident |
|
Largo |
Large |
big |
|
Lunatico |
Lunatic |
moody |
|
Morbido |
Morbid |
soft |
|
Ostrica |
Ostrich |
Oyster |
|
Parenti |
Parents |
Relatives |
|
Patente |
Patent |
licence |
|
Petrolio |
Petrol |
Oil |
|
Preoccupato |
Preoccupied |
worried |
|
Preservativo |
Preservative |
Condoms |
|
Pretendere |
to pretend |
to claim |
|
Qui pro quo |
Quid pro quo |
Misunderstanding |
|
Ricoverare |
Recover |
to be hospitalised |
|
Rispondere |
Respond |
to answer |
|
Romanzo |
Romance |
Novel |
|
Rumore |
Rumor |
Noise |
|
Salario |
Salary |
Wages |
|
Sensibile |
Sensible |
Sensitive |
|
Stampa |
Stamp |
To print or Press |
|
Tasto |
Taste |
touch/button |
|
Tentare |
Tent |
to try |
|
Vacanza |
Vacancy |
Holiday |
So from now on don’t be fooled by words.
Take your time to make sure that what you are saying is exactly what you mean.
Trust me… Sometimes excessive self-confidence or perhaps relaying on some Latin high school knowledge can lead you to some embarrassing moments!
If you hear someone saying “TERRIFICANTE!”, that person is not describing an amazing moment, but it is actually scared to death!
Hi! I am an Italian native speaker. I have been teaching Italian to adults and children for several years. I like teaching the language in all its aspects, not only linguistic but also cultural.
