Falsos amigos 4

Grabar vs Grab

Grabar is to engrave, record, or impress.
Grab means asir, coger, or arrebatar.

Gracioso vs Gracious

Gracioso means funny or cute.
Gracious = gentil, cortés, or refinado.

Grosería vs Grocery Store

Grosería seems to follow the -ía pattern on most Spanish words for stores, but in fact it refers only to rudeness, crudeness, or vulgarity.
Grocery Store = tienda de abarrotes/comestibles, bodega, or abacería, depending on what country you're in.

Honesto vs Honest

Honesto means sincere, honorable, or decent.
Honest = sincero, franco, or honrado.

Humor vs Humor

Humor means mood or humor.
Humor refers to gracia or humor. Sense of humor = sentido del humor.

Idioma vs Idiom

Idioma refers to a language.
Idiom = idiotosmo, modismo, or lenguaje.

Ignorar vs Ignore

Ignorar means to not know or to be unaware of.
Ignore means no hacer caso de, desatender, or dejar a un lado.

Insulto vs Insult

Insulto means insult in most places, but in Mexico it can also refer to indigestion or a stomachache.
Insult = insulto.

Introducir vs Introduce

Introducir is a semi-false cognate. It means to introduce only in the context of introducing a topic.
Introduce can mean to introduce a topic or a person. The latter is translated by presentar in Spanish.

Jubilación vs Jubilation

Jubilación refers to retirement: both the act of retiring and a pension.
Jubilation = júbilo.

Labor vs Labor

Labor can mean any kind of work: paid work, chores, needlework, etc.
Labor refers to trabajo (the actual work) or la mano de obra (the workers).

Largo vs Large

Largo means long, generous, or abundant.
Large = grande or importante.

Lectura vs Lecture

Lectura refers to the act of reading or reading material.
Lecture = una conferencia, una explicación, or un sermoneo.

Letra vs Letter

Letra refers only to a letter of the alphabet.
Letter is un letra (of the alphabet) or una carta (that you write to a friend).

Librería/Librero vs Library

Librería is a bookstore, while librero refers to a bookseller or bookcase.
Library refers to una biblioteca.

Lujuria vs Luxury

Lujuria = lust, lewdness, excess.
Luxury = el lujo.

Mama vs Mama

Mama refers to a breast.
Mama = mamá (see how important an accent can be?)

Mango vs Mango

Mango can mean mango the fruit as well as a handle (as of a knife).
Mango = mango.

Marca/Marco vs Mark

Marca is a mark (as in a spot or line) as well as a brand, make, or label. In sports, una marca is a record or best time. Un marco is a (picture) frame, goal, setting, or framework.
Mark can be translated by una mancha or una señal.

Masa vs Mass

Masa can mean mass (in terms of people and volume), as well as dough.
Mass in reference to church is la misa.

Matar vs Mate

Matar means to kill.
Mate = as a noun is un macho / una hembra for animals, un compañero / una compañera for people. To mate means aparear or unir.

Mayor vs Mayor

Mayor as an adjective means main, major, larger, older. As a noun is means chief, boss, superior, adult, or ancestor.
Mayor = el alcalde or la alcadesa.

Minorista vs Minority

Minorista is a Caribbean and South American word for retail or retail seller.
Minority = la minoría or, as an adjective, minoritario.

Molestar vs Molest

Molestar means to annoy or bother.
Molest = acosar sexualmente.

Motivo vs Motive

Motivo isn't necessarily the same thing as motive (which tends to have a negative connotation, like "motive for the murder"); it's more like reason or cause.
Motive = móvil, motivos, or intención.

Natural vs Natural

Natural as an adjective means natural, fresh (with fruit), and illegimate (with children). As a noun it means nature or native.
Natural can be translated by natural, normal, innato, or biológico (with family members).

Negocio vs Negotiation

Negocio refers to a business, deal, or transaction.
Negotiation is una negociación

Nombre vs Number

Nombre means name or noun.
Number is un número.

Noticia vs Notice

Noticia is a news item or piece of news. Noticias means news or information.

Ocasión vs Occasion

Ocasión is usually a chance or opportunity. It can also mean cause or reason, and in Latin American it refers to a bargain.
Occasion refers to una vez, una oportunidad, un acontecimiento, una razón, or un motivo.

Oculto vs Occult

Oculto can mean hidden, concealed, or secret, as well as occult.
Occult = oculto or misterioso.

Oficial vs Official

Oficial as an adjective is the same as in English. As a noun, it refers to a military officer or a skilled worker.
Official as a noun is un funcionario.

Oficio vs Office

Oficio = trade or function, religious service/mass, or an official letter.
Office is una oficina, un despacho.

Once vs Once

Once is eleven in Spanish.
Once = una vez.

Ordinario vs Ordinary

Ordinario can mean ordinary as well as common or coarse (in reference to a person) and fine or ok, in answer to ¿Cómo estás?
Ordinary = normal or corriente.

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