False Friends

  • adulto - imago
  • impozi - paŭsi
  • pego - vulpo
tr>

The first column gives the 'false
friend', the second shows true
equivalent(s) in English.

 The third column gives the 'false friend' in English, the fourth offers true Esperanto partner(s).
adulto adultery adult plenkreskulo, adolto
agonio death throes agony dolorego, angoro
aĵura perforated, holed (cloth, material) azure lazura
akso axle; axis axe hakilo; toporo; adzo; pioĉo
akselo armpit; axil (of plant) axle akso
aktuala present-day, topical actual efektiva
akurata punctual, prompt accurate preciza; ekzakta
alo side part, wing of ale elo, hela biero
ambro ambergris, grey amber amber sukceno
apologio formal defence or justification apology pardonpeto
argumento reasoned debating point argument, disagreement disputo
atendi wait for, expect attend ĉeesti; prizorgi
aŭditoro high legal official (certain countries) auditor (accounts) (kont)revizoro
averti warn, admonish avert eviti, forturni
balo dance, ball ball pilko; bulo
balanci rock to and fro, swing up and down balance ekvilibri; ekvilibrigi; stabiligi; bilanci
baleno whale baleen, whalebone barto
bano bathe, bathing ban malpermeso; ekskludo; interdikto
barko barque, sailing boat bark bojo; ŝelo
bedo bed (for flowers, vegetables) bed lito
bendo long narrow strip of material bend kurbo; kurbiĝo
brovo eyebrow brow, forehead frunto
budo stall, stand bud burĝono
buklo curl, ringlet buckle buko
bulo roundish lump, clod bull bovo
bulko bread roll bovo amplekso, maso
debito ready sale debit debeto
defili march pass defile makuli, malpurigi
demandi ask question demand postuli
devizo motto; foreign exchange device aparato, rimedo
difekti damage difect transiri, ribeli
digi dam dig fosi
dogo mastiff dog hundo
doto dowry dot punkto
dragi dredge drag treni
dresi train dress vesti, vesti sin
drivi drift drive peli; konduki
efektiva actual, real effective efika
eventuala contingent, possible eventual fina, rezulta
fabriko factory fabric ŝtofo, teksaĵo
fago beech fag peno; stumpo
farmo contract to cultivate land farm (farm)bieno
farti fare, be in a state of health fart furzi
fatala unlucky, ill-starred fatal mortiga
feno hot dry wind (e.g. in Alps) fen marĉejo
flako puddle flake floko
flano thin round bake, dropscone flan torto
floso raft floss lanugo
foldo groove, slot fold faldo
forto force fort fuorto
frazo sentence grammatical) phrase frazero,
fuko bladder-wrack seaweed fuck (vulgar) fiko
fumo smoke fume haladzo
fundo bottom fund fonduso
furo ferret fur pelto; felo
gamo musical scale game ludo
garbo sheaf (e.g. of corn) garbo vestoj
gento ethnic group gent ĝentilhomo
geja homosexual gay, jolly gaja
gimnazio grammar school gymnasium gimnastikejo
gipso builder's plaster gypsy cigano
glaso tumbler, (drink) glass glass vitro
grafo count, earl graph grafikaĵo
granda big, large grand luksa, grandioza
graso fat, grease grass herbo, greso
grati scratch grate raspi; grinci
gratikifi tip, give gratuity gratify kontentigi
grilo cricket (insect) grill krado
gripo influenza grip firmteno
groso gooseberry gross (144) groco
gulo wolverine gull mevo
gurdo barrel organ gourd kalabaso
gusto taste gusto vervo
guto drop (e.g. of water) gut intesto; kuraĝo
ĝemo groan gem gemo
ĝentila polite gentle milda
ĝusta correct, right just (fair) justa
hajli rain hailstones hail saluti, alvoki
hisi hoist, run up (e.g. sail) hiss sibli
homo human being home hejmo
honti be ashamed haunt hanti
hubo croft hub nabo
hulo swell (e.g. of sea) hull (of boat) kareno
humana humane human homa
imago imagination image figuro, bildo
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The first column gives the 'false friend', the second shows true equivalent(s) in English.

 The third column gives the 'false friend' in English, the fourth offers true Esperanto partner(s).
impozi impose, print impose trudi
instanco competent authority instance ekzemplo; okazo
insulti yell abusive words insult, affront ofendi
interferi act reciprocally (light waves) interfere entrudiĝi, sin trudi
ĵaketo tail coat; woman's jacket jacket jako
kabineto study, office cabinet ŝranko
kanapo sofa canopy baldakeno
kapo head cap ĉapo
karavano travel party caravan (trailer) ruldomo
kardo thistle card karto
kastoro beaver castor, caster rulilo (furniture wheel)
kavo cavity cave kaverno
kelo cellar cell ĉelo; karcero; pilo (battery)
klapo valve clap aplaŭdo, manfrapo
klinko latch ( e.g. of door) clink tinto
koakso coke coaxial samaksa
kojlo large intestine, colon coil spiralo
kojno wedge coin monero
kokso hip cox, helmsman stiristo (boata)
kolono column, pillar colon dupunkto; kojlo
komodo chest of drawers commode truseĝo
konfekcio ready-made garment confection(ary) sukeraĵo
konkuri compete concur konsenti, samopinii
konsekvenca sofalogical, consistent consequence rezulto, sekvo
kontoro office (e.g. of factory ) counter giĉeto, vendotablo
kontroli check, verify control regi, komandi
konvena suitable convenient oportuna
kordo string (of musical instrument) cord ŝnuro
korno horn corn greno; kalo (callus)
koto mud cot liteto
krajono pencil crayon, pastel paŝtelo
krampo clamp, bracket cramp kramfo; koliko
kranko starting handle, crank handle crank strangulo; plendemulo
krano tap, faucet crane argano; gruo
kredebla likely, plausible credible kredinda
krispo ruffle, frill crisp (potato) terpomfloko
kropo crop ( of bird) crop, harvest rikolto
kurioza exciting interest,  out of the usual curious, inquisitive scivol(em)a
kurta short curt abrupta
lado sheet metal lad junulo
lafo lava laugh rido
lako varnish, lacquer lake lago
laksa diarrhoeal lax malstrikta, mola
lano wool lane vojeto; koridoro (traffic)
lapo burdock lap rondiro (of race); sino (of body)
lardo bacon lard porkograso
larĝa wide, broad large granda
lento lentil Lent Karesmo
libelo dragonfly libel kalumnio
liceo secondary school lice pedikoj
liki leak like plaĉi, ŝati; simila
linko linx link ligo, ligilo; ĉenero
liva maldekstra live viva
luko skylight, porthole luck ŝanco, sorto; hazardo
lokusto grasshopper locust akrido
magazeno large shop, store magazine gazeto
mano hand man viro
marmelado jam (incl. marmadale), preserves marmalade oranĝa marmelado
medicino medical science medicine medikamento
mendi order goods mend ripari
merkato market, demand & supply market (place) vendejo, bazaro
meso Mass mess malordo, konfuzo
milo thousand mile mejlo
miro wonder mire koto; marĉo
moleo breakwater mole talpo (animal); lentugo (spot)
mosko musk mosque moskeo
mosto must (of wine) most plimulto, plejparto
motivi provide reason for (action) motivate (person) instigi
muko mucus muck koto; sterko
musko moss (class of plants) musk (odour) mosko
neto fair copy, clean copy net reto
novelo short story, novella novel romano
nuno present time nun monakino
oferi sacrifice, offer up offer proponi; oferti (bid, tender)
pajlo straw pile amaso
palmo palm tree palm (of hand) manplato, polmo
pamfleto satirical or scurrilous lampoon pamphlet faldfolio; broŝuro
pano bread pan pato (frying)
papo pope pap kaĉo (mush); cico (nipple)
paragrafo section in legal document paragraph alineo
parcelo plot of land, allotment parcel pako, pakaĵo
parenco relative, family relation parents gepatroj
pastelo pastille (sweet or pill) pastel (crayon) paŝtelo
paŭsi trace (copy drawing) pause paŭzi, heziti
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The first column gives the 'false friend', the second shows true equivalent(s) in English.

The third column gives the 'false friend' in English, the fourth offers true Esperanto partner(s).
pego woodpecker peg kejlo; stifto (metal pin)
peki sin peck beki
peno effort, endeavour pen enfermejo; plumo
pensiono boarding house / school pension pensio (in retirement)
perko perch (fish) perk

kromprofito, kromprivilegio
pesto deadly epidemic disease pest (nuisance) trudbesto; ĝenulo
peti request, ask for pet

dorloti (pamper); karesi
petrolo mineral oil, petroleum petrol, gasoline benzino
piĉo female genitalia pitch peĉo; asfalto; sonalto; ĵeto
pigo magpie pig porko; ferbriko
piki prick, sting pick

elekti; pluki (flower); kolekti
pilo battery cell pile

amaso; vilo (carpet);piliero
pimpa smart, spruce pimp prostitui
planko floor plank tabulo
plastro dressing (for wound) plaster (for wall) gipso
pleto tray plate

telero; plado (dish, course)
ploto roach (fish) plot komploto; intrigo (story)
plumba lead, made of lead plumb vertikala
poĉi poach (an egg) poach ŝtelĉasi
popo priest (orthodox) pop

eksplodeto, krevo, knalo
pramo ferry boat pram infanveturilo
presi print press premi
provi try, test prove pruvi
pruno plum prune sekpruno
pubo pubes pub trinkejo, taverno
pulo flea pull tiro
puno punishment pun vortludo
punto lace punt prameto, stangboato
pupo doll pup hundido; ido
rajpi seize up (of engines) ripen maturiĝi, maturigi
raketo rocket racket rakedo; bruego
ravi delight,  enthrall rave deliri; furiozi (of storm)
referi make scientific report refer aludi; resendi; referenci
reflektoro headlight (e.g. of car) reflector reflektilo
reko horizontal bars (in gym) wreck vrako (e.g. ship, plane)
rento (unearned) income rent luprezo, lupago
resti remain rest ripozi
ribo currant (black, red) rib ripo
ridi laugh rid liberigi
rigli bolt wriggle tordiĝi
rimarki notice, observe rimarki diri, komenti
rompi break romp kaprioli, petoli
roso dew rose rozo
rostro trunk of elephant rostrum tribuno
rui ret, steep (e.g. flax) rue (regret) bedaŭri
ruto rue (shrubby plant) root (of plant) radiko
sago arrow sage saĝulo; salvio
sapo soap sap suko
seli saddle sell vendi
servico set of crockery service servado, priservado
simpatia likeable, congenial sympathetic kompatema
sino lap, bosom sin peko
sito nuthatch site loko; situo
sojlo threshold; sill soil grundo; malpurigi
sorto fate, destiny, lot sort speco; specigi, klasifiki
spado rapier spade fosilo; piko (card)
spiti defy spit (saliva etc) kraĉi
stablo workbench, easel stable, animal shed stalo
standardo official flag, ensign standard normo; nivelo; grado
stufi stew stuff

farĉi (turkey); ŝtopi (hole)
taksi estimate, value tax imposti
tento temptation tent tendo
tino tub tin stano; (lad)skatolo
tolo

woven sheeting (linen, cotton etc)

toll

imposto, pago; mortsumo
triviala vulgar trivial bagatela
vato cotton wool vat kuvo
vico row; turn vice malvirto
vila hairy vile abomena, aĉa
vulgara common, everyday vulgar triviala
vulpa fox wolf lupo
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