False and True Cognates
Some Spanish words look like old friends but turn out to be total strangers. Learning to tell them apart might just save you from some very awkward conversations.
1. Spot the Impostor
In this first section, you'll look at pairs of Spanish and English words and decide: are they true cognates that share the same meaning, or false cognates that just look alike? Then you'll put that knowledge to the test by identifying what some of the trickiest false friends actually mean in Spanish.Don't worry if a few catch you off guard. They are tricky! Ready to meet some false friends?
11 questions
average score: 73% (all users)
2. Trust Nobody
Now that you've got a feel for which words are true friends and which ones aren't, it's time to put that knowledge to work in context.In this section, you'll complete Spanish sentences by choosing the right word, spot translation mistakes that false cognates can cause, and match Spanish words to their correct English meanings. These are the kinds of mix-ups that happen in real conversations, so the practice here is pretty practical.Take your time reading each sentence carefully. Context is your best clue.
11 questions
average score: 82% (all users)
In this quiz set, you'll get familiar with many of the most common true and false cognates in Spanish. You'll learn which words you can trust and which ones will happily throw you under the bus the moment you misuse them in front of a native speaker.
Sessions are short, around 5 minutes, and you can repeat any quiz as many times as you like until the words really stick. By the end, you'll have a reliable instinct for spotting the difference between a true cognate and a false friend, before they cause any damage.