False friends are words in different languages that sound or look the same but have completely different meanings.
Although the vast majority of words that resemble each other in English and Italian do share a similar meaning due to their shared origin, there are a number of false friends that will certainly catch you out – and probably cause you some serious embarrassment – at some point on your language learning journey!
The thirty I’ve included in this article are those that my Italian husband and I occasionally mix up to this day, usually when we’re sleep deprived or have had a bit too much to drink! 😉
List of False Friends in English and Italian
1. Accidente vs accident
accidente = coincidence, misfortune, sickness
accident = incidente, infortunio
2. Argomento vs argument
argomento = topic, subject, theme, evidence
argument = discussione, litigio
3. Attualmente vs actually
attualamente = currently
actually = in realtà / in effetti
4. Baracca vs barrack
baracca = shack
barrack = caserma
5. Bimbo vs bimbo
bimbo = child, little boy
bimbo = oca giuliva
6. Camera vs camera
camera = room
camera = macchina fotografica
7. Cauzione vs caution
cauzione = deposit, bail
caution = cautela
8. Confrontare vs confront
confrontare = to compare
to confront = affrontare
9. Conveniente vs convenient
conveniente = good value
convenient = comodo
10. Delusione vs delusion
delusione = disappointment
delusion = illusione, allucinazione
11. Educazione vs education
educazione = good manners, upbringing
education = istruzione, insegnamento, pedagogia
Note: educazione can mean education when referring to specific subjects of study (e.g. educazione civica = civic education; educazione artistica = art education)
12. Estate vs estate
estate = summer
estate = tenuta
13. Eventualmente vs eventually
eventualmente = possibly, if need be
eventually = finalmente, prima o poi
14. Fattoria vs factory
fattoria = farm
factory = fabbrica
15. Lettura vs lecture
lettura = reading
lecture = lezione
16. Libreria vs library
libreria = bookshop
library = biblioteca
17. Magazzino vs magazine
magazzino = warehouse
magazine = periodico, rivista
18. Marmellata vs marmalade
marmellata = jam
marmalade = marmellata di agrumi / marmellata d’arance
It took ages for my husband to stop buying me jars of strawberry jam from the store instead of my beloved marmalade!
19. Morbido vs morbid
morbido = soft
morbid = morboso
20. Noioso vs noisy
noioso = boring
noisy = rumoroso
21. Parenti vs parents
parenti = relatives
parents = genitori
During my first year in Italy, I asked my mother-in-law if she was happy for my parenti to visit. She responded by saying “How many of them?”
22. Pavimento vs pavement
pavimento = floor
pavement = marciapiede, strada asfaltata
23. Preservativo vs preservative
preservativo = contraceptive, condom
preservative = conservante
I once asked my Italian mother-in-law if it was necessary to add a preservativo to the stock she was preparing. The look she gave me was priceless!
24. Pretendere vs pretend
pretendere = to expect, presume, demand, insist
to pretend = fare finta, fingere
25. Ricordo vs record
ricordo = memory, recollection
record = nota, documento, disco, vinile
26. Romanzo vs romance
romanzo = novel
romance = storia d’amore
27. Rumore vs rumour
rumore = noise, sound
rumour = pettegolezzo, voce diffusa
28. Stampa vs stamp
stampa = press, print, printing
stamp = francobollo
29. Terrificante vs terrific
terrificante = terrifying
terrific = fantastico
30. Testo vs test
testo = text
test = esame
Have you ever been tripped up by a false friend in Italian? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
Heather Broster is a graduate with honours in linguistics from the University of Western Ontario. She is an aspiring polyglot, proficient in English and Italian, as well as Japanese, Welsh, and French to varying degrees of fluency. Originally from Toronto, Heather has resided in various countries, notably Italy for a period of six years. Her primary focus lies in the fields of language acquisition, education, and bilingual instruction.
