Appendix:False friends between English and Italian

This is an initial list of false cognates and false friends between English and Italian. They therefore look similar but respectively either they do not actually come from the same root or they have different meanings, despite their similarities.

Italian word English translation of Italian word English word Italian translation of English word
abitare to reside habit abituarsi/abituare (stesso)
abusivo illegal abusive violento, che realizza maltrattamenti
accomodare to repair accommodate ospitare
accomodarsi to sit down, to take a seat
far accomodare (qualcuno) to make (someone) sit down, to make (someone) take a seat
addetto assigned, in charge (adjective); worker, employee (noun) addicted dipendente
addizione addition addiction dipendenza
adepto/adetto initiate adept abile
affluenza turnout affluence ricchezza
affrontare to confront affront insultare
agonizzante moribund agonizing angoscioso
allegato attached, enclosed allegation accusa
annoiare to cause to get bored annoy infastidire/dar fastidio
annoiarsi to get bored
apprendere to learn apprehend arrestare
appuntare to sharpen appoint nominare
appuntarsi to note/write down, to annotate, to write an annotation/a memo(randum)
arguire to deduce argue discutere
assetto arrangement, set-up asset risorsa
attendere to wait (for) attend assistere
attitudine aptitude attitude atteggiamento
attualmente recently actually in realtà
baldo self-confident bald calvo
bigotteria ostentatious piety bigotry bigottismo
calamita magnet calamity calamità
caldo hot cold freddo
camera room, chamber camera macchina fotografica/fotocamera
casualità fortuitousness casualty ferito
cognato (brother-in-law)/cognata sister-in-law; a cognate word cognate word parola cognata
cognate (kindred by birth, akin, same-blooded) congiunto, parente
cognate (other senses) analogo, affine
collera wrath cholera colera
comodità comfort commodity bene
complessato neurotic, troubled complexioned di carnagione
complessione constitution, build complexion carnagione
concussione extortion, graft concussion commozione
condiscendente obliging, compliant condescending altezzoso, paternalistico
confetto comfit confetti coriandolo
confrontare to compare confront affrontare
congiurare to conspire conjure evocare
considerato thought (of) considerate/consider considerare, pensare; osservare; prestare attenzione
considerate amichevole, cordiale; premuroso
contabile bookkeeper; accountant; book-keeping (attributive); countable (math) countable (math) numerabile, contabile, enumerabile
countable (grammar) numerabile
contesto context contest controversia, dibattito; gara, concorso
conveniente suitable convenient comodo
corto short curt breve, conciso
decoro dignity; (especially for Christmas) decoration decor arredo
decoration decoro (especially for Christmas), addobbo, abbellimento
deficiente deficient (medicine); moron (slang) deficient carente; (medicine) deficiente
deludere to disappoint; to disillusion delude ingannare
educato well-mannered educated colto
fattoria farm factory fabbrica
molestare to annoy molest
pretendere to demand pretend fingere/fare finta/far finta; far credere
parente relative parent genitore
simpatico nice (person) sympathetic comprensivo
stringente cogent stringent severo
terrificante terrifying terrific eccezzionale, formidabile

See also edit