English and Portuguese share thousands of Latin- and Greek-derived cognates that really do mean the same thing — importante, possível, televisão, banco, história, problema. Those cognates are gifts. But they come with a hidden tax: another large set of words that look identical but mean something quite different. These are falsos amigos — false friends — and they are responsible for the most memorable mistakes English speakers make in Portuguese. This page catalogues the ones that actually bite learners in Portugal, organised from high-risk (where the error is embarrassing or dangerous) to low-risk (where the error just sounds odd). Unlike a bilingual dictionary, this list flags the register and severity of each trap.
Why false friends are so dangerous
When you see a word you have never met, your brain flags it and double-checks the meaning. When you see eventualmente or actualmente, your brain does the opposite — it files the word as "obviously same as English" and moves on. That's how a Portuguese doctor learns that their English-speaking patient is "eventualmente with child" rather than "possibly pregnant." The only defence is to treat high English-Portuguese similarity as a warning sign, not a gift. Learn the list below deliberately.
High-risk traps (embarrassing or dangerous if wrong)
1. Embaraçada is not embarrassed — it means pregnant
The most infamous false friend in Portuguese. Embaraçada means pregnant, not embarrassed. If you want to say "embarrassed," use envergonhada or the phrase com vergonha.
❌ Estou muito embaraçada com o meu erro.
You just announced that you are very pregnant because of your mistake.
✅ Estou muito envergonhada com o meu erro.
I'm very embarrassed about my mistake.
✅ Tenho muita vergonha do que disse.
I'm very embarrassed by what I said.
2. Constipado means having a cold, not constipated
This one genuinely matters in a pharmacy. Estar constipado in Portugal means to have a cold (a head cold, runny nose). The word for the bowel condition is prisão de ventre or obstipado (note the o-).
❌ Estou muito constipado, preciso de laxante.
You've just said: 'I have a bad head cold, I need a laxative.' The pharmacist will be confused.
✅ Estou com prisão de ventre.
I'm constipated.
✅ Estou constipado, apanhei frio.
I've got a cold, I caught a chill.
3. Pretender is not to pretend — it means to intend
Pretender in Portuguese means to intend, to aim to, to want to. To pretend (fake) is fingir. Using pretender for "pretend" produces sentences that look totally fine but mean the wrong thing.
❌ Ele pretendeu estar doente para não ir à reunião.
You just said: 'He intended to be sick so as not to go to the meeting' — as if sickness were a choice.
✅ Ele fingiu estar doente para não ir à reunião.
He pretended to be sick so he wouldn't have to go to the meeting.
✅ Pretendo candidatar-me ao mestrado.
I intend to apply for the master's programme.
4. Actual / actualmente means current / currently
Actualmente (pre-1990 spelling) / atualmente (post-1990 spelling) means currently, at this moment. It does not mean "actually." For the English sense of "actually" (in fact, in reality) use na verdade or de facto / de fato.
❌ Actualmente, ele é médico, mas começou em outra área.
'Currently, he is a doctor, but he started in a different field.' — actually fine here! But watch the next one.
❌ Pensei que ele era advogado, mas actualmente é médico.
Learner intent was 'actually he's a doctor' — but this says 'currently he's a doctor,' which sounds like he changed careers.
✅ Pensei que ele era advogado, mas na verdade é médico.
I thought he was a lawyer, but actually he's a doctor.
5. Eventualmente means possibly, not eventually
In English, eventually implies certainty — sooner or later, for sure. Portuguese eventualmente means possibly, occasionally, in some cases. It's weaker, not stronger. For the English sense, use mais tarde ou mais cedo, acabar por, or simply no fim.
❌ Eventualmente vou acabar o livro.
'I might possibly finish the book' — not what you meant.
✅ Mais cedo ou mais tarde vou acabar o livro.
Sooner or later I'll finish the book.
✅ Acabarei por lê-lo um dia destes.
I'll end up reading it one of these days.
✅ Eventualmente, pode haver atrasos no comboio.
Occasionally there may be delays on the train. (correct use of PT eventualmente)
6. Parentes are relatives, not parents
Os parentes means relatives (cousins, aunts, uncles — the whole extended family). The word for parents is os pais.
❌ Vou visitar os meus parentes no domingo — a minha mãe e o meu pai.
'I'm going to visit my relatives on Sunday — my mother and father.' Your relatives are your cousins, not your mum and dad.
✅ Vou visitar os meus pais no domingo.
I'm going to visit my parents on Sunday.
✅ Tenho muitos parentes no Porto.
I have a lot of relatives in Porto.
Medium-risk traps (meaning clearly wrong but rarely embarrassing)
7. Assistir a is to attend / to watch, not to assist
Assistir a means to attend, to be present at, to watch (an event, a class, a film). To assist someone is ajudar.
❌ Vou assistir a minha amiga com a mudança.
'I'm going to attend my friend with the move.' Meaning unclear.
✅ Vou ajudar a minha amiga com a mudança.
I'm going to help my friend with the move.
✅ Ontem assisti a um concerto fantástico no Coliseu.
Yesterday I went to a fantastic concert at the Coliseu.
8. Fábrica is a factory, not fabric
Fábrica means factory, plant. The word for fabric (cloth, material) is tecido.
❌ Comprei uma fábrica bonita para fazer um vestido.
'I bought a nice factory to make a dress.'
✅ Comprei um tecido bonito para fazer um vestido.
I bought a nice fabric to make a dress.
✅ A fábrica da Autoeuropa emprega milhares de pessoas.
The Autoeuropa factory employs thousands of people.
9. Livraria is a bookshop, not a library
A livraria is where you buy books. A biblioteca is where you borrow them. The mnemonic: biblio- like bibliography.
❌ Vou à livraria devolver os livros que pedi emprestados.
'I'm going to the bookshop to return the books I borrowed.' But bookshops don't lend.
✅ Vou à biblioteca devolver os livros que pedi emprestados.
I'm going to the library to return the books I borrowed.
✅ Comprei este livro na livraria da esquina.
I bought this book at the bookshop on the corner.
10. Particular means private, not particular
Particular in Portuguese is usually the opposite of público — private (a private lesson, a private company, a private matter). For the English sense of "particular" (specific, individual), use específico or em particular (as a phrase).
❌ Esse é um caso particular que não preciso discutir.
Learner meant 'a particular case' but this reads 'a private case,' which sounds like personal/confidential.
✅ Esse é um caso específico que não preciso discutir.
That's a specific case I don't need to discuss.
✅ Ele tem um professor particular de música.
He has a private music tutor.
✅ Uma escola particular.
A private (fee-paying) school.
11. Sensível is sensitive, not sensible
Sensível means sensitive (emotionally receptive, or physically delicate). For the English sense of "sensible" (level-headed, reasonable), use sensato or razoável.
❌ A minha irmã é muito sensível — toma sempre boas decisões.
'My sister is very sensitive — she always makes good decisions.' The two halves don't connect.
✅ A minha irmã é muito sensata — toma sempre boas decisões.
My sister is very sensible — she always makes good decisions.
✅ Tenho pele sensível, não posso usar esse sabonete.
I have sensitive skin, I can't use that soap.
12. Realizar: partial overlap, one critical gap
Realizar overlaps with English "realise" in the sense of to carry out, to accomplish (realizar um projeto, realizar um sonho). It does not mean "to realise" in the sense of to understand or become aware of. For that, use perceber, aperceber-se de, or dar-se conta de.
❌ Realizei que tinha esquecido as chaves.
'I accomplished that I had forgotten the keys.' Nonsense in PT.
✅ Apercebi-me de que tinha esquecido as chaves.
I realised I had forgotten the keys.
✅ Só agora percebi o que ele quis dizer.
Only now do I understand what he meant.
✅ Realizámos o projeto em tempo recorde.
We carried out the project in record time.
13. Ingénuo is naive, not ingenious
Ingénuo — still spelt with the acute in European Portuguese post-AO90 (the Brazilian form is ingênuo with circumflex) — means naive, innocent, gullible. To say "ingenious," use engenhoso or genial.
❌ Foi uma solução muito ingénua.
'It was a very naive solution.' Probably the opposite of your compliment.
✅ Foi uma solução muito engenhosa.
It was a very ingenious solution.
✅ O rapaz é demasiado ingénuo para este negócio.
The boy is too naive for this business.
14. Traduzir is to translate, not to traduce
Traduzir is simply to translate (from one language to another) — a benign, high-frequency word. English "traduce" (to slander) is caluniar or difamar, which are formal/legal terms.
✅ Podes traduzir esta frase do inglês para português?
Can you translate this sentence from English into Portuguese?
✅ Ele foi acusado de caluniar o colega.
He was accused of slandering his colleague. (formal/legal)
Low-risk traps (sound odd but meaning usually recoverable)
15. Pão is bread, not pain
Pão means bread (like French pain, from Latin panis). English "pain" is dor. Usually context saves you, but beginners sometimes swap them.
❌ Tenho muito pão de cabeça.
'I have a lot of bread in my head.' Meaningless.
✅ Tenho muita dor de cabeça.
I have a bad headache.
✅ Ainda está quente, acabei de tirar o pão do forno.
It's still warm, I just took the bread out of the oven.
16. Carro is a car, not to carry
Carro is a car. English "carry" is levar, carregar, or transportar. This one almost never causes real ambiguity but sometimes produces odd-sounding sentences from beginners.
❌ Podes carro as malas até ao táxi?
Not a real Portuguese sentence, but beginners try it.
✅ Podes levar as malas até ao táxi?
Can you carry the bags to the taxi?
17. Pretexto is narrower than English "pretext"
Pretexto in Portuguese is specifically a false reason or excuse given for doing something. It's narrower than English "pretext" (which can also mean a rough motive). Usage overlaps most of the time, so this is low-stakes.
✅ Inventou um pretexto para não ir ao jantar.
He invented a pretext for not going to dinner.
18. Conveniente has partial overlap
Conveniente in Portuguese leans more toward appropriate, fitting, decent than toward "convenient" in the English sense of "easy / handy." For "convenient" (easy to get to, easy to use), use prático or cómodo.
❌ Este supermercado é muito conveniente — fica à porta de casa.
Awkward — sounds like 'this supermarket is very appropriate.'
✅ Este supermercado é muito prático — fica à porta de casa.
This supermarket is very convenient — it's right at my door.
✅ Não é conveniente discutir isso em público.
It's not appropriate to discuss that in public.
19. Convicto means convinced, not convict
Convicto (adjective) means convinced, firmly persuaded. The English noun "convict" (a criminal) is presidiário or recluso. Different registers, different parts of speech — the overlap is purely graphic.
✅ Estou convicto de que ele diz a verdade.
I'm convinced that he's telling the truth.
20. Rude is rude, but notícias ≠ notice
Some borderline cases worth flagging together: rude does mean rude/impolite (that one's fine). But notícias = news, not "notices" (which would be avisos). And discussão = argument/quarrel, not just "discussion" (which is debate or conversa).
❌ Tivemos uma discussão interessante sobre a proposta.
Usually negative in PT — sounds like 'we had an interesting argument.'
✅ Tivemos um debate interessante sobre a proposta.
We had an interesting discussion about the proposal.
✅ Ele entrou numa discussão com o vizinho.
He got into an argument with the neighbour.
Summary table with risk levels
| Portuguese word | Actually means | English "looks-like" is | Risk level |
|---|---|---|---|
| embaraçada | pregnant | envergonhada (embarrassed) | HIGH |
| constipado | having a cold | com prisão de ventre (constipated) | HIGH |
| pretender | to intend | fingir (to pretend/fake) | HIGH |
| actualmente / atualmente | currently | na verdade (actually) | HIGH |
| eventualmente | possibly | mais cedo ou mais tarde (eventually) | HIGH |
| parentes | relatives | pais (parents) | HIGH |
| assistir a | to attend / watch | ajudar (to assist) | MEDIUM |
| fábrica | factory | tecido (fabric) | MEDIUM |
| livraria | bookshop | biblioteca (library) | MEDIUM |
| particular | private | específico (particular/specific) | MEDIUM |
| sensível | sensitive | sensato (sensible) | MEDIUM |
| realizar | to carry out | perceber / aperceber-se (realise = understand) | MEDIUM |
| ingénuo | naive | engenhoso (ingenious) | MEDIUM |
| traduzir | to translate | caluniar (to traduce) | LOW (safe) |
| pão | bread | dor (pain) | LOW |
| conveniente | appropriate | prático (convenient) | LOW |
| discussão | argument | debate / conversa (discussion) | LOW |
Common Mistakes to avoid
Mistake 1: using actualmente for "actually"
❌ Actualmente, não concordo com isso.
'Currently, I don't agree.' Implies you used to agree.
✅ Na verdade, não concordo com isso.
Actually, I don't agree with that.
Mistake 2: mixing up livraria and biblioteca
❌ Vou à livraria estudar para o teste.
'I'm going to the bookshop to study' — possible but odd.
✅ Vou à biblioteca estudar para o teste.
I'm going to the library to study for the test.
Mistake 3: using pretender for "pretend"
❌ Não pretendas que não me viste!
'Don't intend that you didn't see me!' Nonsense.
✅ Não finjas que não me viste!
Don't pretend you didn't see me!
Mistake 4: using eventualmente for English "eventually"
❌ Eventualmente vais perceber.
'Possibly you'll understand.' Weaker than intended.
✅ Mais cedo ou mais tarde vais perceber.
Sooner or later you'll understand.
Mistake 5: calling your parents parentes
❌ Os meus parentes moram em Aveiro — a minha mãe e o meu pai.
Your parents are your 'pais', not your 'parentes'.
✅ Os meus pais moram em Aveiro.
My parents live in Aveiro.
Key Takeaways
- Treat high similarity with English as a warning, not a reassurance. The words that look most like English are the ones most likely to mean something different.
- The high-risk six are worth memorising word-for-word: embaraçada, constipado, pretender, actualmente / atualmente, eventualmente, parentes. Getting any of these wrong produces real miscommunication.
- Several "false friends" are actually just narrower than the English equivalent (particular, realizar, conveniente) — learn which senses carry over and which don't.
- If you catch yourself using an English-looking word without thinking, pause and check: "Does it mean what I think?" That one habit solves most of these errors.
- Build your own list as you run into them. The list above covers the big traps, but every learner has one or two that bite them personally.
Related Topics
- False Friends (Spanish-Portuguese)A2 — The Portuguese words that look identical to Spanish words but mean something different — traps that bite Spanish-speaking learners and Portuguese-Spanish bilinguals alike.
- Preposition ErrorsA2 — The most common mistakes with de, em, a, para, por — including English transfer, BR-influenced uses, and the verb-preposition combinations every learner has to memorise.
- Portuguese Nouns OverviewA1 — A map of the Portuguese noun system — gender, number, classification, derivation, and compounds — with forward references to every dedicated page.
- Portuguese Verb System OverviewA1 — An introduction to the Portuguese verb system: conjugation, moods, tenses, and aspects
- Vocabulary Differences: Daily LifeA2 — The everyday vocabulary that differs most between European and Brazilian Portuguese — transport, places, people, clothing, daily routine, and common slang — organised into contrastive tables with notes on which words cause real miscommunication.