Falsi amici? Yes but not how you think. They are words in English that are spelt and pronounced in a similar way to a word in Italian but have a totally different meaning.
For example:
I pretend a lot from my staff .
uhuh!
I expect/demand a lot from my staff.
I'm extremely nervous because my boss keeps calling me about work at the weekend.
nope!
I am extremely irritated because my boss keeps calling me about work at the weekend.
If you make errors like these then make sure you take note of these 10 common false friends and avoid any future embarrassments.
to pretend | pretendere |
means: fare finta | means: to expect / to demand |
annoyed | annoiato |
means: infastidito/a | means: bored |
eventually | eventualmente |
means: alla fine | means: in case |
actually | attualmente |
means: in realtà | means: presently / currently |
to resume | riassumere |
means: riprendere | means: to summarise |
comprehensive | comprensivo |
means: esaustivo | means: simpathetic |
sensible | sensibile |
means: ragionevole | means: sensitive |
to attend | attendere |
means: participare | means: to wait |
a stranger | uno straniero |
means: uno sconosiuto | means: a foreigner |
nervous | nervoso |
means: apprensivo | means: irritated |
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