False friends are words in two languages that look or sound similar but have very different meanings, and they trip up even confident learners. Here are twenty common ones between Italian and English, with an example sentence in each language.
Actuale (Italian) vs. Actual (English)
Actuale means “current” in Italian, while actual in English means “real” or “existing.”
IT: L’attuale situazione politica.
EN: The actual reason for the delay.
Attendere (Italian) vs. Attend (English)
Attendere in Italian means “to wait,” while attend in English means “to be present at an event or a meeting.”
IT: Devo attendere il mio turno.
EN: I will attend the conference tomorrow.
Sensibile (Italian) vs. Sensible (English)
Sensibile in Italian means “sensitive,” while sensible in English means “practical” or “reasonable.”
IT: È una persona molto sensibile.
EN: That’s a very sensible solution to the problem.
Educato (Italian) vs. Educated (English)
Educato in Italian means “polite” or “well-mannered,” while educated in English means “having knowledge or learning.”
IT: È molto educato con gli anziani.
EN: She is highly educated, with a degree in physics.
Pretendere (Italian) vs. Pretend (English)
Pretendere in Italian means “to demand” or “expect,” while pretend in English means “to act as if something is true when it’s not.”
IT: Pretendo che mi ascolti!
EN: He pretended to be a doctor.
Confrontare (Italian) vs. Confront (English)
Confrontare means “to compare” in Italian, while confront in English means “to face something or someone directly.”
IT: Confronta i prezzi prima di comprare.
EN: He had to confront his fears.
Fattoria (Italian) vs. Factory (English)
Fattoria means “farm” in Italian, while factory in English refers to a place where goods are manufactured.
IT: Vive in una fattoria con molti animali.
EN: The factory produces cars.
Morale (Italian) vs. Moral (English)
Morale in Italian means “mood” or “spirit,” while moral in English refers to principles of right and wrong.
IT: La morale del gruppo è molto alta.
EN: The moral of the story is to always be honest.
Libreria (Italian) vs. Library (English)
Libreria means “bookstore” in Italian, while library in English refers to a place where books are borrowed.
IT: Ho comprato un libro in libreria.
EN: I borrowed a book from the library.
Parente (Italian) vs. Parent (English)
Parente in Italian means “relative,” while parent in English refers to a mother or father.
IT: Mio parente vive a Roma.
EN: My parents are coming to visit.
Confidenza (Italian) vs. Confidence (English)
Confidenza in Italian means “intimacy” or “familiarity,” while confidence in English refers to self-assurance or belief in something.
IT: Ho molta confidenza con lui.
EN: She has great confidence in her abilities.
Attuare (Italian) vs. Attain (English)
Attuare means “to implement” or “carry out,” while attain means “to achieve” or “reach.”
IT: Dobbiamo attuare il piano subito.
EN: He worked hard to attain his goals.
Eventualmente (Italian) vs. Eventually (English)
Eventualmente in Italian means “if necessary” or “possibly,” while eventually in English means “in the end.”
IT: Eventualmente potremmo andare domani.
EN: We will eventually finish the project.
Deluso (Italian) vs. Delusional (English)
Deluso means “disappointed” in Italian, while delusional refers to holding false beliefs, often in a mental health context.
IT: Sono rimasto deluso dal film.
EN: He was delusional, thinking he could fly.
Sala (Italian) vs. Salad (English)
Sala means “room” or “hall” in Italian, while salad refers to a dish made of raw vegetables.
IT: La conferenza si terrà in sala.
EN: I had a salad for lunch.
Conveniente (Italian) vs. Convenient (English)
Conveniente in Italian means “affordable” or “reasonable,” while convenient in English means “suitable” or “easy to use.”
IT: Questo prodotto è molto conveniente.
EN: The store is conveniently located near my house.
Assistente (Italian) vs. Assistant (English)
Assistente in Italian refers to someone who helps or aids, often professionally, but assistant in English is more specific to someone in a supporting job role.
IT: L’assistente del medico è molto gentile.
EN: My assistant will schedule the meeting for you.
Stazione (Italian) vs. Station (English)
Stazione in Italian usually refers to a train or bus station, while station in English can also mean a radio/TV channel or a work location.
IT: Andiamo alla stazione dei treni.
EN: I listen to that radio station every morning.
Firma (Italian) vs. Firm (English)
Firma means “signature” in Italian, while firm in English means a company or business, or an adjective for something solid or stable.
IT: Metti la tua firma qui, per favore.
EN: She works at a law firm.
Romanzo (Italian) vs. Romance (English)
Romanzo in Italian means “novel” (a book), while romance in English refers to a love story or emotional relationship.
IT: Sto leggendo un romanzo storico.
EN: This movie is a classic romance.
Leave a Reply