Many of you may know words which mean something in one language and something completely different in another, also known as false friends. For example the English word ’embarrassed’ is often mistaken for the Spanish word ’embarasado’ which in Spanish actually means “pregnant” and not “embarrassed.”
Well Greek and Spanish, although they have somewhat similar pronunciation, have very different roots, and often very different meanings for words that sound exactly the same. I was recently reminded of some funny such words while reminiscing about my experiences in Spain with one of our Spanish summer interns. I told her many anecdotes of how I discovered several very amusing Greek/ Spanish false friends. Below I have shared a couple of them with you.
While living in Spain, I was happy to try many typical Spanish foods. One day I was offered “migas del pan”, which in English doesn’t raise any eyebrows, but for a native Greek speaker like me it was a little unsettling. Although I eat almost everything, the idea of eating “flies of the bread” rather than disappointing my hosts was not exactly appetizing. As it turns out the dish is actually made with bread crumbs not flies, and is considered a delicacy in Spain. The Spanish word “migas” actually sounds like the Greek word for “flies” as in the insect!
Another word which caused me some discomfort was “tripa.” In Spain the expression “me duele la tripa” is a common way to say “I have a stomach ache.” Unfortunately for me the Spanish word “tripa” sounds exactly like the Greek word “tripa” meaning “hole.” You can imagine why I was stunned the first time that I heard this expression. The list of similar words in the two languages goes on, and in fact, a professor of the Spanish language in Greece has written a blog about just this subject.
False friends like these can be tricky while talking, so if you think your Greek or Spanish isn’t quite up to par for an important conversation, it might be best to get help from a provider of Greek or Spanish interpreting services.
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