False friendFood & Body
Italian
Fame
Meaning: Actually means 'hunger'. Ho fame = I'm hungry. For fame (renown), say fama.
Origin: From Latin fames, 'hunger' — one letter from fama, 'renown', the real cognate of English 'fame'.
More Italian false friends
- Caldo Actually means 'hot' (or a hot broth). Cold is freddo.
- Bravo Actually means 'good, skilled, well-behaved'. For brave, say coraggioso.
- Camera Actually means 'room'. A camera (device) is una macchina fotografica.
- Pretendere Actually means 'to demand' or 'to expect'. Pretende troppo = He demands too much.
- Parente Actually means 'relative'. A parent (mother or father) is un genitore.
- Annoiare Actually means 'to bore'. Mi annoi = You're boring me — gentler than 'you're annoying me'.
Explore another collection: Untranslatable Words
Words that capture a feeling or idea English needs a whole sentence for.
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