Italian false friends

Sometimes an Italian word can be correctly translated by looking for similarities with English words, but in many cases the word has a different meaning.

False friends are Italian words which seem similar to an English word but have a different meaning. Some false friends have more than one translation between Italian and English, and so it is very important to recognise the different possible meanings of some English words compared to their Italian 'friend'.

This glossary lists the most problematic words and common false friends, and includes a section for feedback and comments.

Abusare: means to take advantage of
(to) abuse is translated as insultare, maltrattare
Accidente: means stroke, shock
Accident is translated as incidente, infortunio, caso
Accomodare: doesn't mean to accommodate but to arrange
(to) accommodate is translated as alloggiare
Ad hoc: in Italian means bespoke, specific
Ad hoc in English is translated as improvvisato
Addetto: doesn't mean addict but employee
Addict is translated as a person schiava di un vizio
Affluente: or affluenza means tributary, flow
Affluent or affluence is translated as ricco, opulento and ricchezza, opulenza
Affrontare: means to face
(to) affront is translated as offendere, oltraggiare, apertamente
Agenda: means diary
Agenda is used to mean l'ordine del giorno of a meeting
Annoiare: doesn't mean to annoy but to bore
(to) annoy is translated as irritare, dar fastidio
Anticipare: doesn't mean to anticipate but to advance, to bring forward
(to) anticipate is translated as prevedere, aspettarsi
Argomento: doesn't mean argument but topic
Argument is translated as discussione, litigio
Arrangiare: doesn't mean to arrange but to manage, to get by, to fix up
(to) arrange is translated as disporre, sistemare
Aspettare: means to wait for
(to) expect is translated as aspettarsi
Attendere: doesn't mean to attend but to wait for
(to) attend is translated as frequentare, partecipare
Attico: doesn't mean attic but penthouse, if luxurious, or top-floor flat
Attic is translated as soffitta
Attuale: means present, current
Actual is translated as effettivo, reale
Avvertimento: doesn't mean advertisement but warning
Advertisement is translated as annuncio, inserzione
Baldo: doesn't mean bald but courageous, bold
Bald is translated as calvo
Baracca: means hut or shack
Barracks is translated as caserma
Bendare: means to bandage, blindfold
(to) bend is translated as curvare, inchinare, piegare
Biologico: doesn't always mean biological, but often organic, natural
Box: means garage, parking space
Box is translated as scatola, fare del pugilato
Bravo: doesn't mean brave but clever, good
Brave is translated as coraggioso
Brina: means hoar frost
Brine is translated as salamoia, acqua salata
Candido: means pure, innocent
Candid is translated as schietto
Cantina: means cellar, basement
Canteen is translated as mensa
Cartone: doesn't mean cartoon but cardboard
Cartoon is translated as fumetto, vignetta
Cauzione: means bail
Caution is translated as cautela
Cava: means pit, quarry
Cave is translated as caverna, grotta
Coda: means tail, queue
Code is translated as codice
Caldo: means hot
Cold is translated as freddo
Collegio: means boarding school
College, with or without student accommodation, is istituto universitario
Comodità: doesn't mean commodity but comfort, convenience
Commodity is translated as prodotto, merce a disposizione
Comprensivo: means understanding, inclusive, sympathetic
Comprehensive is translated as esauriente
Conduttore: means driver
Conductor is translated as bigliettaio del tram, direttore d'orchestra
Confetti: in Italian means wedding sweets or candy
Confetti in Italian is translated as coriandoli
Confrontare: means to compare
(to) confront is translated as far fronte a, affrontare
Congiurare: means to plot
(to) conjure is translated as evocare, far giochi di prestigio
Consistente: doesn't mean consistent but substantial, solid
Consistent is translated as coerente, costante
Conveniente: means good value
Convenient is translated as comodo, adatto, opportuno
Delusione: means disappointment
Delusion is translated as illusione
Dente: doesn't mean dent but tooth
Dent is translated as ammaccatura
Diffidenza: means distrust
Diffidence is translated as sfiducia in se stesso
Disgrazia: doesn't mean disgrace but misfortune
Disgrace is translated as vergogna, disonore
Disporre di: means to have (something) at your diposal, make arrangements
(to) dispose of is translated as disfarsi di
Divertire: means to amuse
(to) divert is translated as deviare
Domandare: means to ask, to require, to wonder
(to) demand is translated as pretendere, esigere, insistere
Duomo: means cathedral
Dome is translated as cupola
Editore: means publisher
Editor is translated as direttore (of a newspaper) or curatore (of books)
Educazione: doesn't mean education but good manners
Education actually means cultura, istruzione
Effettivo: means real
Effective is translated as efficace
Emotivo: means emotional
Emotive is translated as che desta impressione
Energetico: means energy
Energetic is translated as energico, attivo
Equamente: doesn't mean equally but justly, fairly
Equally is translated as a parità, ugualmente
Estate: means summer
Estate is translated as proprietà
Esibizione: means performance
Exhibition is translated as mostra
Evadere: means to escape from or evade
(to) evade is translated as aggirare, eludere
Eventualmente: means if necessary, possibly
Eventually is translated as alla fine, finalmente
Fabbrica: means factory
Fabric is translated as tessuto
Fastidioso: means annoying
Fastidious is translated as esigente, scrupoloso
Fatale: means inevitable
Fatal is translated as mortale, funesto
Fattoria: doesn't mean factory but farm
Factory is translated as fabbrica
Fine: means end
Fine is translated as multa
Firma: doesn't mean firm but signature
Firm is translated as risoluto, rigido, solido or azienda, ditta
Fisico: means physicist
Physician is translated as medico
Frequentare: means to attend, to see regularly, to frequent (archaic)
Frequent is not usually translated as frequentare, but spesso
Gentile: doesn't mean genteel but kind
Genteel is translated as raffinato, distinto
Gioco: means play, game
Joke is translated as scherzo
Ginnasio: means first two years in a grammar school
Gymnasium is translated as palestra
Graduato: means non-commissioned officer
Graduate is translated as laureato
Grandioso: means great
Grandiose is translated as ostentoso, imponente
Gratuito: means free
Gratuitous is translated as ingiustificato
Gregario: means back-up, subordinate
Gregarious is translated as socievole, amante di compagnia
Grosso: doesn't mean gross but big
Gross is translated as grossolano, rozzo
Guardare: means to look at, to watch
(to) guard is translated as sorvegliare, far la guardia
Gusto: doesn't mean gust but taste
Gust is translated as ventata, scroscio di pioggia
Impressionante: sometimes means impressive but normally means shocking
Impressive is translated as notevole, che colpisce favorevolmente
Inabile: means unfit, disabled
Unable is translated as non in grado
Inabitato: means uninhabited
Inhabited is translated as abitato
Inconsistente: means inconsiderable, flimsy
Inconsistent is translated as incompatibile, incoerente
Incidente: means accident, crash
Incident is translated as evento, episodio
Ingenuità: means ingenuousness
Ingenuity is translated as ingegno, abilità
Ingiuria: means insult
Injury is translated as ferita, danno
Intendere: doesn't always mean intend, but to mean, to understand, to hear
Intend is often translated as destinare
Interrogazione: means oral test (scholastic)
Interrogation is translated as interrogatorio
Irrilevante: means insignificant (UK), irrelevant (US)
Irrelevant is translated as non pertinente
Lettura: doesn't mean lecture but reading
Lecture is translated as conferenza, lezione universitaria
Libreria: means bookshop, bookcase
Library is translated as biblioteca
Locale: means room, hotel, bar, ecc.
Local is translated as il bar dietro l'angolo
Lunatico: means moody
Lunatic is translated as pazzo, folle
Lurido: doesn't match lurid but filthy
Lurid is translated as sgargiante, pacchiano
Magazzino: means warehouse
Magazine is translated as periodico, rotocalco
Mansione: means duty, task
Mansion is translated as villa, blocco di appartamenti
Marmellata: means jam
Marmalade is translated as marmellata di agrumi
Marrone: means brown
Maroon is translated as color rosso fegato
Miseria: means poverty
Misery is translated as sofferenza
Misero: doesn't mean miser but wretched
Miser means avaro
Mondano: means worldly
Mundane is translated as abituale, noioso
Morbido: doesn't mean morbid but soft
Morbid is translated as morboso
Moroso: means in arrears
Morose means scontroso, imbronciato
Nominare: means to name
(to) nominate is translated as proporre per una candidatura
Novella: means tale, short story
Novel is translated as romanzo
Obitorio: means morgue
Obituary is translated as necrologio
Occasione: also means opportunity, bargain, occasion
Occasion is not always translated as occasione
Occorrere: means to be needed
(to) occur is translated as accadere, venire in mente
Ostrica: means oyster
Ostrich is translated as struzzo
Pace: means peace
Pace is translated as andatura, passo
Parenti: means relatives
Parents is translated as genitori
Parole: means word, promise
Parole is translated as libertà per buona condotta
Partire: means to leave
(to) part is translated as separare, dividere
Patente: means licence
Patent is translated as brevetto
Pavimento: doesn't mean pavement but floor
Pavement is translated as marciapiede
Pepperoni: doesn't mean spicy sausage but peppers
The US usage of pepperoni for pizza is translated as salame piccante or alla diavola
Petrolio: doesn't mean petrol but oil
Petrol is translated as benzina
Preoccupato: means worried
Preoccupied is translated as assorto
Preparato: means well trained
Prepared is translated as disposto a
Al presente: means at present (UK)
Presently (UK) is translated as tra poco
Preservativo: means contraceptive, condom
Preservative is translated as conservante
Pretendere: doesn't mean pretend but to claim
(to) pretend is translated as far finta
Prevaricare: means to abuse one's power
(to) prevaricate is translated as tergiversare
Principale: means boss or main
Principal is translated as preside
Processare: means to try, to bring to trial
(to) process is translated as elaborare
Proprio: means one's own, typical
Proper is translated as appropriato, giusto
Puntura: (di vespa) means sting
Puncture is translated as foratura di pneumatico
Questionare: means to argue, to quarrel
(to) question is translated as interrogare
Qui pro quo: means mistake or misunderstanding
Quid pro quo is translated as una cosa in cambio di qualcos'altro, do ut des
Quota: doesn't mean quote but share, height, altitude
Quote is translated as citare, fare un prezzo
Rapa: means turnip
Rape is translated as stupro
Rata: means installment
Rate is translated as velocità, tasso, livello
Realizzare: means to carry out, (sogno, ambizione) to fulfil, to achieve, to realise, (conseguire) to accomplish
(to) realise is translated as accorgersi, capire, accorgersi di, rendersi conto di
Retribuzione: doesn't mean retribution but remuneration, salary
Retribution is translated as punizione, ricompensa
Ricordo: means memory, remember
Record is translated as disco, appunto
Ricoverare: doesn't mean recover but to admit, to be hospitalised
(to) recover is instead translated as guarire
Riguardare: means to look again, to be about, to examine
(to) regard is translated as considerare, stimare, riguardare, concernere
Rilevante: means remarkable
Relevant is translated as pertinente a, relativo a
Rispondere: means to answer, to come up to
(to) respond is translated as essere sensibile a, contraccambiare
Ritenere: means to think, to believe
(to) retain is translated as conservare, trattenere
Ritagliare: means to cut out
(to) retaliate is translated as fare una rappresaglia
Riversare: means to pour
(to) reverse is translated as invertire, far marcia indietro
Romanzo: doesn't mean romance but novel
romance is translated as storia d'amore
Rude: means rough and ready
Rude is translated as maleducato, offensivo
Rumore: means noise
Rumour (UK) is translated as voce diffusa, gossip
Salario: means wages
Salary is translated as stipendio
Sano: means healthy, sound
Sane is translated as equilibrato, ragionevole
Scarsamente: doesn't mean scarcely but scantily, poorly
Scarcely is translated as appena, a stento
Scolaro: doesn't mean scholar but pupil
Scholar is translated as studioso, erudito
Sconvenienza: means breach of good manners, unseemly
Inconvenient is translated as disturbo, scomodità
Scuole pubbliche: are state schools
Public schools (UK) are scuole private which charge substantial fees
Sensibile: means sensitive
Sensible is translated as ragionevole, di buon senso
Simpatico: means nice, likeable, pleasant
Sympathetic is translated as comprensivo, compassionevole
Società: doesn't always mean society but normally company, firm
Society is normally used to mean alta società, associazione, confraternita
Sopportare: means to bear, to stand, support
(to) support is translated as sostenere, mantenere
Spada: means sword
Spade is translated as zappa, vanga
Spettacoli: means shows, performance
Spectacles is translated as occhiali
Stampa: means press, print
Stamp is translated as francobollo
Stanza: doesn't mean stanza but room
Camera is translated as macchina fotografica
Stipulare: means to draw up
(to) stipulate is translated as porre come condizione necessaria, stabilire
Straniero: means foreigner
Stranger is translated as sconosciuto, estraneo
Suggestivo: means full of atmosphere, evocative
Suggestive is translated as allusivo
Tasto: means touch, button
Taste is translated as sapore, gusto
Tenente: means lieutenant
Tenant is translated as inquilino
Tentare: doesn't mean tent but to try, to attempt
Tent is translated as tenda di camping
Terrificante: doesn't mean terrific but terrifying, frightening
Terrific is translated as eccezionale, fantastico
Testo: means text
Test is translated as prova, esame, saggio
Tremendo: doesn't mean tremendous but dreadful, terribile, awful
Tremendous is translated as fantastico, enorme
Triviale: means vulgar, obscene
Trivial is translated as banale, futile, superficiale, leggero
Udienza: doesn't normally mean audience but hearing
Audience is translated as pubblico
Urtare: means to knock into, to irritate
(to) hurt is translated as ferire
Vacanza: means holiday
Vacancy is translated as posto di lavoro disponibile
Veste: means capacity
Vestire: means dress, wear
Vest is translated as maglietta (UK)
Vile: means cowardly
Vile is translated as orribile, brutto
Villano: means lout, peasant, rude
Villan is translated as il 'cattivo'
Vino: means wine
Vine is translated as vite, rampicante
Vizioso: means bad, dissolute
Vicious is translated as brutale, maligno
Vocabolario: doesn't always mean vocabulary, but often means dictionary
Vocabulary is translated as il complesso dei vocaboli usati da una persona

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