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Sopa

Meaning: Actually means 'soup'. Soap is jabón.

Language: Spanish

Literally: soap

Category: Food & Body

Origin: From a Germanic root shared with 'soup'; a hungry diner's classic mix-up.

More false friends — Food & Body

  • Fame — Actually means 'hunger'. Ho fame = I'm hungry. For fame (renown), say fama.
  • Vaso — Actually means 'a drinking glass'. A vase (for flowers) is un jarrón or florero.
  • Constipado — Actually means 'having a head cold'. Estoy constipado = I have a cold.
  • 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.

More Spanish false friends

  • Once — Actually means 'eleven'. For once (one time), say una vez.
  • Embarazada — Actually means 'pregnant'. For embarrassed, say avergonzado/a.
  • 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…

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