False friends in Portuguese

False friends or false cognates are words that sound and/or look the same in two languages but different meaning. Not all familiar sounding words in Portuguese mean the same as they do in English.

The following Portuguese words look and/or sound like English words but have different meanings:

• Assistir = to watch (to assist = ajudar)
• Batom = lipstick (baton = cassetete)
• Bife = steak (beef = carne bovina)
• Cândido = innocent, naïve (candid = sincero)
• Casualidade = chance (casualty = vítima de acidente, baixa, perda)
• Designar = to appoint (to design = projetar, criar)
• Educado = polite, well-mannered (educated = instruído)
• Êxito = success (exit = saída)
• Genial = brilliant (genial = afável, aprazível)
• Injúria = insult (injury = ferimento)
• Livaria = book shop (library = biblioteca)
• Notícia = news (notice = aviso, nota)
• Parentes = relatives (parents = pais)
• Particular = personal, private (particular = específico, exato)
• Pasta = paste, folder, briefcase (pasta = massa)
• Piedade = pity (piety = devoção)
• Pretender = to intend, to plan (to pretend = fingir)
• Puxe = to pull but sounds like push (to push = empurre)
• Realizer = to carry out, accomplish (to realize = notar, perceber)
• Tenente = lieutenant (tenent = inquilino)
• Taxa = rate, fee (tax = imposto)
• Turno = shift, round (turn = vez, volta)
• Viola = guitar (viola = violeta)