No matter if you are a beginner or an advanced student, every single day of the Italian learning process brings surprises. This time we want to give you an Italian-English false friends list in order to remind you that there are some Italian words that often cause confusion. The words we cite here are called false friends, so let’s explain what they are about.
Italian and English have many words which are similar in the way they are written but have very different meanings. Therefore, a person who is learning Italian can become confused, and may use them incorrectly. In a way, this gives us an opportunity to really explore the nuances of the Italian language. So have a look at the following Italian-English false friends list to get a clearer picture of what they are.
Italian word | English translation | English false friend |
Attualmente | Currently | not actually |
Avvertire | To warn | not to advertise |
Avvocato | Lawyer | not avocado |
Baracca | Shack | not barracks |
Barista | Bartender | not barrister |
Bello | Beautiful | not bell |
Bravo | Good | not brave |
Brina | Frost | not brine |
Camera | Room | not camera |
Cauzione | Deposit | not caution |
Confetti | Sugared almond | not confetti |
Confezione | Packaging | not confession |
Deluso | Disappointed | not deluded |
Estate | Summer | not state |
Eventualmente | Possibly | not eventually |
Fastidioso | Annoying | not fastidious |
Fattoria | Farm | not factory |
Fine | End | not fine |
Genitori | Parents | not genitals |
Inabitato | Uninhabited | not inhabited |
Lettura | Reading | not lecture |
Libreria | Bookstore | not library |
Magazzino | Warehouse | not magazine |
Messa | Mass | not mess |
Morbido | Soft | not morbid |
Noioso | Boring | not noisy |
Notizia | News | not notice |
Parente | Relative | not parent |
Pretendere | To expect | not to pretend |
Realizzare | To accomplish | not to realize |
Ricordo | Memory | not record |
Romanzo | Novel | not romance |
Rumore | Noise | not rumor |
Sensibile | Sensitive | not sensible |
Simpatico | Nice | not sympathetic |
Succedere | Occur | not succeed |
Tasto | Key, button | not taste |
Testo | Text | not test |
Vacanza | Holiday | not vacancy |
This Italian-English false friends list is made up of the most commonly used words. If you want to know more about false friends click here. It is important to know that they have to do with the modification and growing of languages over time. Throughout history, languages have nourished each other regardless of whether their origins are different. The coexistence of different communities, migrations and other factors have led to the modification and removal of terms from one language to another. This coming and going of terminologies has caused the existence of false friends. It’s not about words with the same etymology or the same origin, but very similar terms with different meanings.
As a new Italian language learner, you should pay attention in order to avoid using them in the wrong way. Be conscious that you are learning Italian and must be patient with your own process. Like verb lists and conjugations, this Italian-English false friends list must be learned gradually and in context, so that its meaning will be secured in the memory of the student. If you still have doubts about false friends after reading this post contact us and we will respond you.