False friendFeelings
Portuguese
PortugueseInjúria
Meaning: Actually means 'insult' or 'slander'. A physical injury is uma lesão or um ferimento.
Looks like: Injury
Origin: From Latin iniuria, 'a wrong' — Portuguese kept the wrong done with words, English moved it to the body.
More Portuguese false friends
- Polvo Actually means 'octopus'. For powder, say pó.
- Jornal Actually means 'newspaper'. For a personal journal (diary), say diário.
- Pasta Actually means 'folder' or 'briefcase'. Pasta (the food) is massa.
- Puxe Actually means 'pull' — the imperative of puxar. The door sign telling you to push says e…
- Esquisito Actually means 'strange', 'weird' or 'odd'. For exquisite, say requintado.
- Livraria Actually means 'bookshop'. A library is uma biblioteca.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- Sol na eira e chuva no nabal You want two things that cannot both happen.
- Há males que vêm por bem Some misfortunes turn out for the best.
- É difícil agradar a gregos e troianos You can't satisfy both sides of a dispute.
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