Constipado

Meaning: Actually means 'having a head cold'. Estoy constipado = I have a cold.

Language: Spanish

Literally: constipated

Category: Food & Body

Origin: A famously awkward pharmacy mistranslation.

More false friends — Food & Body

• Pain — Actually means 'bread'. The hurting kind of pain is la douleur.
• Caldo — Actually means 'hot' (or a hot broth). Cold is freddo.
• Blesser — Actually means 'to wound' or 'to injure'. Je suis blessé = I am injured — not blessed.
• Glass — Actually means 'ice cream'. En glass = an ice cream. For a glass (vessel), say ett glas.
• Polvo — Actually means 'octopus'. For powder, say pó.
• Sopa — Actually means 'soup'. Soap is jabón.

More Spanish false friends

• Éxito — Actually means 'success'. An exit is una salida.
• Actual — Actually means 'current' or 'present'. For actual (real), say real or verdadero.
• Largo — Actually means 'long'. For large, say grande.
• Molestar — Actually means 'to bother' or 'to annoy'. ¿Te molesta el ruido? = Does the noise bother y…
• Simpático — Actually means 'nice' or 'likeable'. For sympathetic, say comprensivo.
• Carpeta — Actually means 'folder' or 'binder'. A carpet is una alfombra.

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