When you start learning Italian, you’ll quickly notice that many words look and sound just like English.

Because English and Italian share a lot of history and roots in Latin, words like problema (problem) and futuro (future) mean exactly what you think they mean.

These are called “cognates,” and they’re a language learner’s best friend.

Italian also has plenty of falsi amici (false friends).

These are words that look almost identical to an English word but have a completely different meaning. If you mix them up, you might end up confusing the person you’re speaking to-or accidentally saying something really funny.

Let’s look at some of the most common Italian false friends and how to use them correctly.

Camera (room, not photographic camera)

If you’re a tourist in Italy and you want to take a picture, asking someone for a camera will leave them very confused.

In Italian, a camera is a room, usually a bedroom (camera da letto).

If you want to talk about the device you use to take pictures, you’ll need to say macchina fotografica (literally “photographic machine”) or simply fotocamera.

Parenti (relatives, not parents)

This is one of the most common mistakes I hear from beginners.

You might look at the word parenti and think it means “parents” (your mother and father). However, in Italian, parenti refers to your extended family or relatives-your aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents.

If you want to talk about your actual parents, the word you’ll need is genitori.

Educato (polite, not educated)

If you want to compliment someone on their high level of schooling, don’t call them educato.

In Italian, educato has to do with manners. It means someone is polite, well-behaved, and has good etiquette.

If you want to say that someone is well-educated in an academic sense (like having a university degree), you should use the word istruito.

Fattoria (farm, not factory)

Imagine telling an Italian that your grandfather makes cars in a fattoria. They’ll probably picture cows and chickens building cars!

A fattoria is a farm. It has nothing to do with manufacturing. If you need to talk about a factory where things are produced, the correct Italian word is fabbrica.

Sensibile (sensitive, not sensible)

This false friend is a classic pitfall. In English, a “sensible” person is practical, logical, and makes good choices.

But in Italian, sensibile means “sensitive.” It describes someone who easily feels emotions or has deep empathy.

If you want to say someone is sensible and logical, you should use ragionevole (reasonable) or sensato (makes sense).

Attualmente (currently, not actually)

Because attualmente looks exactly like “actually,” English speakers use it all the time to correct someone or state a fact.

However, attualmente translates to “currently” or “at the moment.”

If you want to say “actually” or “in reality,” the best phrases to use are in realtà or veramente.

Pretendere (to demand, not to pretend)

If you tell an Italian child not to pretendere to be a dinosaur, you’re using the wrong word.

Pretendere means to demand, expect, or insist on something strongly. It’s a very direct and somewhat aggressive verb.

If you want to say “to pretend” in the sense of making believe or faking something, use the verb fingere or the phrase fare finta.

Morbido (soft, not morbid)

In English, “morbid” is a dark, creepy word associated with death and gloomy things.

But in Italy, morbido is a wonderful, cozy word! It simply means “soft.” You’ll see it used to describe fresh bread, comfortable pillows, and warm sweaters.

If you actually want to talk about something macabre or morbid, use the word macabro.

Quick reference table of Italian false friends

To make studying easier, I’ve put together a simple table summarizing these tricky words. Bookmark this page and review it before your next conversation!

Navigating Italian false friends

Every learner mixes up these falsi amici at least once-I’ve seen it hundreds of times in my own classes.

Reviewing these words and paying close attention to them in context will help you naturally choose the right vocabulary and avoid misunderstandings in your daily conversations.