Cognation Cognition

Here are many common 'false cognates' (words that have similar or identical root spellings but NOT meanings) in Spanish & their true definitions/translations into English.

• Actual: Present/current, NOT actual (verdadero/a).
• Asistir: To attend, NOT to assist/help (ayudar).  
• Carpeta: Folder, NOT carpet (alfombra/tapete).
• Casualidad: Coincidence, NOT casuality (víctima).
• Colegio: High school, NOT college (universidad).
• Compromiso: Commitment/marital engagement/obligation, NOT compromise (acuerdo).  
• Cuestión: Matter of, NOT question (pregunta).
• Decepción: Disappointment, NOT trickery/deception (engaño).
• Disgracia: Misfortune, NOT disgrace (deshonra).
• Disgusto: Unpleasantness, annoyance, NOT disgust (asco).
• Embarazada: To be pregnant, NOT to be embarrassed (avergonzado/a).
• Estrechar: To reduce/narrow/bring closer together, NOT to stretch (estirar).
• Éxito: Success, NOT exit (salida).
• Fábrica: Factory, NOT fabric (tela/tejido).
• Firma: Signature, NOT firm (compañia/empresa/agencia).
• Grosería & Grosero/a: Rudeness & Rude person, NOT gross (asquería & asqueroso/a).
• Idioma: Language, NOT idiom (modismo).
• Introducir: To introduce a topic in conversation/insert, NOT to introduce a person (presentar).
• Largo: Long, NOT large (grande).
• Lectura: Reading, NOT lecture (lección/conferencía).
• Librería: Bookstore, NOT library (biblioteca).
• Molestar: To bother, disturb, annoy, NOT to molest (abusar/acosar sexualmente).
• Nudo: Knot, NOT nude (desnudo/a).
• Oficio: Trade/occupation, NOT office (oficina/despacho).
• Parada: Bus stop/traffic stop, NOT parade (desfile).
• Parientes: Relatives/family members, NOT parents (padres).
• Preocupado/a: Worried, NOT preoccupied/busy (ocupado).
• Recordar: To remember/recall/remind, NOT to record (grabar).
• Sensible: Sensitive, NOT sensible (sensato/a).
• Sentencia: Judicial sentence, NOT written sentence (oración/frase).
• Soportar: To tolerate, NOT to support (apoyar).
• Suceso: Happening, event, occurrence, NOT success (éxito).
• Sujeto: Grammatical subject, NOT abstract subject (tema).