Here’s a mixed bag of false friends in Portuguese that I’ve stumbled on before. False friends or false cognates are words from one language that look similar to a word in another language, except it’s a trick. False cognates are words that mean something entirely different from what you would guess. I’ve included the Portuguese word you’re actually looking for, as well as other similar words that mean utterly different things.
Bookmark these words because they’ll stab you in the back at the best of times.
Verbs that are false friends in Portuguese
| aplicar | apply, enforce or impose |
| candidatar-se | apply for a (job/ course) |
| realizar | perform or carry out |
| perceber / dar-se conta | to realize |
| passar | to spend (time) or pass (an exam) |
| ser aprovado/a | to pass (an exam) |
| atender | to serve or see to someone |
| participar | to attend |
| suportar (also aguentar) | endure or withstand something |
| apoiar | to support |
| apontar | to point out |
| nomear | to appoint (someone) |
| consulta | appointment |
| introduzir | to insert or enter (introduce a new plant species) |
| apresentar | to introduce (someone) |
| assumir | to take on a role |
| presumir or supor | to assume something |
| enrolar | to procrastinate |
| inscrever | to enroll |
| matricular | to enroll |
| pretender | to intend to |
| fingir | to pretend |
| assistir (a) | to watch (something) |
| ajudar | to help or assist |
| experimentar | experience, try, exploit, or to experiment |
| experiência | an experience |
| experimento | an experiment |
| recordar | to remember |
| lembrar | to remember |
| gravar | to record something |
| puxar | to pull |
| empurrar | to push |
| discutir | to argue |
| conversar | to discuss |
Nouns that are False Friends in Portuguese
| oficina | workshop |
| ofício | craft or occupation |
| escritório | office |
| canela | cinnamon |
| canal | channel (man made river) |
| estação | channel (tv or radio) |
| cabo | cable |
| polícia | police |
| política | policy |
| política | politics |
| peru | turkey (bird) |
| Perú | Peru (the country) |
| Turquia | Turkey (the country) |
| pasta | a folder |
| massa | pasta (the food) |
| pano | a cloth |
| panela | a pan (for cooking) |
| nota | a grade |
| anotação | a note (notation) |
| preservativo | condom |
| conservante | preservative |
| lanche | snack |
| almoço | lunch |
| gelo | ice |
| gelatina | jello (UK jelly) |
| compota | jam |
| gripe | a cold |
| agarrar | to grip |
| êxito | success (more common sucesso) |
| saída | an exit |
Portuguese Adjectives and Adverbs
| atualmente | currently |
| na verdade | actually |
| sensível | sensitive |
| sensato | sensible |
| particular | private |
| específico | particular or specific |
| decepção / decepcionado | disappointment / disappointed |
| enganação/ enganado | deceived |
