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Ripetere does indeed mean to repeat.
Avocado means avocado.
There have been many a time where I’ve guessed a word relying solely on English and have added an Italian ending… and I’ve been right.
And there have been many other times where I’ve guessed based solely on my English and have been very, sometimes embarrassingly, wrong.
I’m guessing I’m not the only one. That’s why I thought it could be interesting to put together an episode of some of the most common false friends in Italian – the words that seem friendly because they’re so close to English but then turn around and trick you.
1.) Ultimamente – Recently, lately – I thought it meant ‘ultimately’, ALLA FINE
2.) Camera – Room – Not photography camera, macchina fotografica
3.) Casino – mess – Not casino where you gamble
4.) Preservativo – Condom – NOT a preservative (conservante) in foods or like jam (marmellata)
5.) Attualmente – now, currently – NOT actually, in realtà
6.) Le terme – thermal baths – NOT school term
7.) I parenti – relatives – NOT parents, genitori
8.) Scheda – sheet, card, note paper – NOT a schedule, orario
9.) Comprensivo – understanding – NOT comprehensive, completo, esauriente
10.) Crudo – Raw – NOT crude – rozzo, esplicito
11.) Educato – polite – NOT educated, erudito
12.) Libreria – bookstore – NOT a library, biblioteca
13.) Noioso – boring – NOT noisy, rumoroso
14.) Sensibile – sensitive – NOT sensible, ragionevole
15.) Fattoria – farm – Factory – fabbrica –
16.) Accidente – stroke, shock – NOT accident, incidente
17.) Attendere – to wait – NOT to attend (an event), andare a, partecipare a
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Special thanks to The Creative Impostor Studios for producing this show.
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