Cognates and False Friends

Cognates and false friends are related concepts, but they are not the same. Let me clarify: Cognates are words in two languages that look or sound similar and have the same or very similar meaning. For example: English: Family Spanish: Familia False friends are words in two languages that look or sound similar but have different meanings. For example: English: Comprehensive Spanish: Comprensivo (which means "understanding" or "sympathetic"). In the case of "comprehensive" and "comprensivo," they are false friends, not true cognates. False friends often lead to mistranslations because their appearances are deceiving. Revised Tip: Tip of the Day - January 9, 2024: Watch Out for False Friends Words that look similar in two languages (false friends) often have different meanings. Always double-check their context to avoid errors. See you tomorrow for another tip!