30 Portuguese False Friends Every English Speaker Should Know
30 Portuguese False Friends Every English Speaker Should Know
Some Brazilian Portuguese words look so familiar that English speakers translate them without thinking. That is exactly why words like pretender, parentes, atualmente, and colégio cause so many mistakes. This guide shows you what these words actually mean, what to say instead, and which “false friends” are only partially false.
What Are False Friends in Portuguese?
False friends are words in two languages that look or sound similar enough to invite a translation that is wrong or incomplete. They are often called false cognates, although the terms are not perfectly identical: two words can be “false friends” for learners even when they are historically related.
That distinction matters less in conversation than the practical problem: English gives you a very convincing guess, and the guess fails.
For example, Portuguese parentes looks like English parents, but means relatives. Portuguese colégio looks like college, but normally refers to a non-university school. And atualmente does not normally mean actually; it means currently or nowadays. We also cover parentes / pais in our Brazilian Portuguese family vocabulary guide.
Portuguese False Friends: Quick Reference
| Portuguese | Looks like | Usually means | For the English meaning, use… |
|---|---|---|---|
| atualmente | actually | currently / nowadays | na verdade / de fato |
| eventualmente | eventually | possibly / occasionally | finalmente / com o tempo |
| pretender | pretend | intend / plan / want | fingir |
| atender | attend | answer / serve / assist | comparecer / participar / assistir |
| assistir | assist | watch / attend | ajudar / auxiliar |
| suportar | support | tolerate / bear / withstand | apoiar |
| reclamar | reclaim | complain | recuperar / reivindicar |
| recordar | record | remember / recall | gravar / registrar |
| resumir | resume | summarize | retomar / continuar |
| realizar | realize | carry out / accomplish / make real | perceber / dar-se conta |
| parentes | parents | relatives | pais |
| colégio | college | school below higher education | faculdade / universidade |
| livraria | library | bookstore | biblioteca |
| fábrica | fabric | factory | tecido |
| costume | costume | habit / custom | fantasia |
| pasta | pasta | folder / paste / briefcase | massa / macarrão |
| novela | novel | TV soap opera / telenovela | romance |
| êxito | exit | success | saída |
| chefe | chef | boss / person in charge | chef / cozinheiro |
| data | data | date | dados |
| legenda | legend | caption / subtitle / key | lenda |
| sensível | sensible | sensitive | sensato / razoável |
| esquisito | exquisite | weird / strange | requintado / excelente |
| simpatia | sympathy | likability / friendliness / affinity | compaixão / solidariedade |
| compromisso | compromise | commitment / appointment / obligation | acordo / concessão |
| compreensivo | comprehensive | understanding / sympathetic | abrangente / completo |
| decepção | deception | disappointment | engano / fraude |
| lanche | lunch | snack / light meal | almoço |
| preservativo | preservative | commonly condom in everyday Brazil | conservante |
| balcão | balcony | counter / service desk in common use | varanda / sacada |
1–10: Verbs and Adverbs That Can Change the Whole Sentence
1. Atualmente ≠ actually
Atualmente means currently or nowadays. English actually is usually na verdade, de fato, or sometimes na realidade.
Atualmente, moro em São Paulo. = I currently live in São Paulo.
2. Eventualmente ≠ eventually
In careful Portuguese, eventualmente is associated with something uncertain, possible, or occasional. It should not be your automatic translation for English eventually.
Ele aparece eventualmente. can mean that he shows up occasionally. For “eventually, he understood,” prefer finalmente entendeu or com o tempo entendeu.
3. Pretender ≠ pretend
Pretender commonly means to intend, plan, want, or aim. To pretend is fingir.
Pretendo viajar em dezembro. = I intend to travel in December.
Ele finge que está doente. = He pretends to be sick.
4. Atender ≠ attend
Atender can mean to answer a phone or door, serve a customer, or assist/deal with someone.
Ela não atendeu o telefone. = She didn’t answer the phone.
For “attend a meeting,” use participar de or comparecer a, depending on the situation.
5. Assistir ≠ assist
In Brazilian Portuguese, assistir very commonly means to watch: assistir a um filme, assistir à TV. To assist someone in the everyday English sense, use ajudar or auxiliar.
Assisti ao jogo ontem. = I watched the game yesterday.
6. Suportar ≠ support
Suportar often means to tolerate, bear, withstand, or endure. English “support someone” is normally apoiar alguém.
Não suporto esse barulho. = I can’t stand that noise.
Eu apoio sua decisão. = I support your decision.
7. Reclamar ≠ reclaim
In everyday Brazil, reclamar most often means to complain.
Ele reclama de tudo. = He complains about everything.
For English reclaim, the translation depends on context: recuperar, reivindicar, or retomar may fit.
8. Recordar ≠ record
Recordar means to remember or recall. To record audio or video, use gravar; to register information, registrar may be appropriate.
Recordo bem daquele dia. = I remember that day well.
9. Resumir ≠ resume
Resumir means to summarize.
Você pode resumir o texto? = Can you summarize the text?
To resume an activity, use retomar, continuar, or a context-specific verb.
10. Realizar ≠ realize — partially
The safest high-frequency meanings of realizar are carry out, accomplish, perform, hold, or make real.
A empresa realizou uma pesquisa. = The company carried out a survey.
For “I realized that…,” percebi que… and me dei conta de que… are excellent choices. Contemporary dictionaries also record a “become aware” sense for realizar, so this is a partial false friend, not an absolute ban.
11–20: Family, School, Work, and Everyday Objects
11. Parentes ≠ parents
Parentes are relatives. Your parents are your pais.
Meus parentes moram em Minas Gerais. = My relatives live in Minas Gerais.
Meus pais moram perto de mim. = My parents live near me.
12. Colégio ≠ college
Colégio normally refers to a school below higher education. English college, when referring to higher education, is more likely faculdade or universidade.
Ela estuda num colégio particular. = She studies at a private school.
13. Livraria ≠ library
A livraria is a bookstore. A library is a biblioteca.
Comprei o livro numa livraria. = I bought the book at a bookstore.
14. Fábrica ≠ fabric
A fábrica is a factory. Fabric is usually tecido.
Ele trabalha numa fábrica de carros. = He works in a car factory.
15. Costume ≠ costume
Costume usually means a habit, custom, or customary practice. A costume you wear is normally a fantasia.
Tenho o costume de caminhar de manhã. = I have the habit of walking in the morning.
16. Pasta ≠ pasta
Pasta has several Portuguese meanings, including paste and folder. In computing, pasta is the normal word for a folder.
Salva o arquivo nessa pasta. = Save the file in this folder.
For food, use massa, macarrão, or the specific dish.
17. Novela ≠ novel — usually
In everyday Brazilian conversation, novela usually means a TV soap opera / telenovela. A novel in the English literary sense is usually a romance.
Literary dictionaries also record novela as a shorter work of fiction, so this is another partial false friend.
18. Êxito ≠ exit
Êxito means success or a successful result in common modern use. An exit is a saída.
O projeto foi um êxito. = The project was a success.
19. Chefe ≠ chef
Chefe normally means boss, chief, or person in charge. A professional chef can also be called chef in Brazilian Portuguese; cozinheiro/cozinheira is the general word for cook.
Preciso falar com meu chefe. = I need to talk to my boss.
20. Data ≠ data
Portuguese data normally means a date on the calendar. English data is dados.
Qual é a data da prova? = What is the date of the exam?
21–30: The False Friends That Create the Weirdest Meanings
21. Legenda ≠ legend
Legenda can mean a caption, subtitle, or a key explaining symbols. A traditional legend is a lenda.
Assisti ao filme com legenda em português. = I watched the movie with Portuguese subtitles.
22. Sensível ≠ sensible
Sensível means sensitive.
Minha pele é sensível ao sol. = My skin is sensitive to the sun.
For sensible, use sensato, razoável, or another context-appropriate adjective.
23. Esquisito ≠ exquisite
Esquisito usually means weird, strange, odd, or unusual.
Esse cheiro está esquisito. = This smell is strange.
English exquisite may require requintado, delicado, or excelente, depending on context.
24. Simpatia ≠ sympathy
Simpatia often expresses likability, friendliness, affinity, or a positive feeling toward someone.
Ela é uma simpatia. can mean that she is lovely or very pleasant.
English sympathy after suffering may require solidariedade, compaixão, or pesar.
25. Compromisso ≠ compromise
Compromisso commonly means a commitment, obligation, appointment, or engagement.
Tenho um compromisso às três. = I have an appointment/commitment at three.
English compromise may be acordo, meio-termo, or concessão.
26. Compreensivo ≠ comprehensive
When Brazilians describe a person as compreensivo, they normally mean understanding, patient, or sympathetic.
Meu professor foi muito compreensivo. = My teacher was very understanding.
For comprehensive, use abrangente, completo, or amplo.
27. Decepção ≠ deception
Decepção very commonly means disappointment.
O resultado foi uma decepção. = The result was a disappointment.
For deception, use engano, fraude, mentira, or another context-specific word.
28. Lanche ≠ lunch
Lanche is a snack or light meal, and in some Brazilian contexts can also refer to a sandwich or similar quick food. Lunch is almoço.
Vamos fazer um lanche à tarde. = Let’s have a snack in the afternoon.
29. Preservativo ≠ preservative — partially
This needs nuance. Portuguese dictionaries include preservation-related meanings for preservativo, but in everyday Brazilian usage the noun very commonly means a condom.
For a food preservative, conservante is the practical default.
30. Balcão ≠ balcony — usually
In everyday Brazilian settings, balcão is usually a counter or service desk.
Pergunte no balcão de informações. = Ask at the information desk.
For a home balcony, varanda or sacada is normally more useful. Dictionaries preserve architectural senses of balcão, so this is a usage trap rather than an absolute rule.
Bonus Trap: Puxe Does Not Mean Push
PUXE = PULL
EMPURRE = PUSH
Why False Friends Are Harder Than Completely New Words
A completely unfamiliar word makes you stop. A false friend does the opposite: it creates false confidence.
If you do not know janela, you know that you need to learn it. But if you see pretender, your brain may immediately supply “pretend,” and the sentence can still look grammatically correct. That is why these errors can survive even after a learner has studied Portuguese for months.
The solution is not to distrust every cognate. Portuguese and English share a large amount of Latin-derived vocabulary, and true cognates can accelerate learning. The useful habit is to memorize high-risk words as contrasting pairs:
- pretender = intend / fingir = pretend
- parentes = relatives / pais = parents
- livraria = bookstore / biblioteca = library
- atualmente = currently / na verdade = actually
- suportar = tolerate / apoiar = support
Five False-Friend Mistakes That Can Change Your Meaning Completely
| If you want to say… | Do not automatically say… | Say this instead |
|---|---|---|
| Actually, I live in Brazil. | Atualmente, moro no Brasil. | Na verdade, moro no Brasil. |
| I’m pretending to sleep. | Estou pretendendo dormir. | Estou fingindo que estou dormindo. |
| My parents are here. | Meus parentes estão aqui. | Meus pais estão aqui. |
| I support you. | Eu te suporto. | Eu te apoio. |
| Let’s go to the library. | Vamos à livraria. | Vamos à biblioteca. |
False friends are only one type of English interference
English speakers also transfer English grammar, pronunciation, tense choices, and sentence structure into Portuguese. See our guide to 15 common mistakes English speakers make in Brazilian Portuguese for the bigger picture.
Mini Practice: Can You Fix These Sentences?
- Atualmente, eu queria perguntar uma coisa diferente. Intended: “Actually…”
Better: Na verdade, eu queria perguntar uma coisa diferente. - Eu não suporto mais esse barulho.
Correct. Here suportar means “stand/tolerate.” - Vou atender uma conferência amanhã. Intended: “attend a conference.”
Better: Vou participar de uma conferência amanhã. / Vou comparecer a uma conferência amanhã. - Ela é muito sensível.
Correct if you mean “She is very sensitive.” For “sensible,” use sensata or another context-appropriate adjective. - Tenho um compromisso com o médico às quatro.
Correct. Compromisso can refer to an appointment or scheduled commitment. - Preciso comprar um preservativo para esta comida.
For food preservative, prefer conservante.
How to Actually Learn False Friends
Do not memorize this article as 30 isolated vocabulary items. Use a three-part contrast:
- Portuguese word: pretender
- What it really does in Portuguese: intend / plan
- The word you need for the English trap: fingir = pretend
Then create one sentence from your own life: Pretendo viajar para o Brasil no ano que vem. Personal examples are easier to retrieve in conversation than dictionary pairs.
A balanced study system also matters. Vocabulary sticks better when you meet it in reading and listening, retrieve it while speaking, and receive correction when English interference slips through. Our practical roadmap for learning Brazilian Portuguese explains how to combine those pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are false friends in Portuguese?
They are Portuguese and English words that look or sound similar but have different meanings or different everyday uses. Examples include parentes (relatives, not parents) and pretender (intend, not pretend).
Are false friends the same as false cognates?
The terms are often used interchangeably in language learning, but they are not perfectly identical. “False friends” describes the learner problem of similar-looking words with diverging meanings; “false cognate” can also imply a claim about historical relationship.
Does atualmente mean actually?
No, not normally. Atualmente means currently or nowadays. For actually, use na verdade, de fato, or another context-appropriate expression.
Does pretender mean to pretend?
No. Pretender commonly means to intend, plan, want, or aim. To pretend is fingir.
Does parentes mean parents?
No. Parentes means relatives. Parents are pais.
Does livraria mean library?
In everyday Brazilian Portuguese, livraria means bookstore. A library is a biblioteca.
Does colégio mean college?
Usually no. Colégio refers to a school below higher education. Depending on context, English college is usually faculdade or universidade.
Does realizar ever mean realize?
It can. Contemporary dictionaries record a “become aware” sense. But realizar is extremely common with meanings such as carry out, accomplish, perform, or make real. Perceber and dar-se conta are safe choices for many English “realize” sentences.
Does preservativo always mean condom?
No. The word has broader preservation-related dictionary meanings. However, as an everyday noun in Brazil, preservativo very commonly means condom. For food preservative, conservante is the practical default.
What is the best way to memorize Portuguese false friends?
Learn them in contrasting pairs and complete sentences: parentes = relatives / pais = parents. Then use each pair in a sentence connected to your own life instead of memorizing an isolated list.
Sources and Usage Notes
This guide focuses on contemporary Brazilian Portuguese. Meanings and usage notes were checked against dictionary entries. Where Portuguese and English overlap in some senses, the article labels the pair as partial rather than claiming the meanings can never coincide.
Stop Translating Word by Word
False friends become much easier when you hear them in real conversations and get immediate correction. Build Portuguese around meaning, context, and complete phrases instead of trying to convert every English word directly.
