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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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