What it's NOT
apology does NOT translate to apología.
To say "apología" in English, use defense / praise.
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False cognate · False friend
apology
Does NOT mean apología
It means an expression of regret for doing something wrong
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
apology means an expression of regret for doing something wrong.
Why it's confused
In Greek, "apología" was an intellectual defense of one's own ideas, like Socrates' Apology. Spanish kept that formal, rhetorical sense. English "apology" drifted toward saying sorry and expressing regret.
How it's pronounced
apologya-PÓ-lo-yi
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Examples of correct use
English
He owes me an apology.
Spanish
Me debe una disculpa.
English
She made a sincere apology.
Spanish
Ofreció una disculpa sincera.
A trick to remember it
Apology = saying sorry. A formal defense or praise (Spanish "apología") = defense/praise.
Mini quiz
"I owe you an apology" means...
Frequently asked questions
What does "apology" mean in English?
"Apology" means "an expression of regret for doing something wrong". It looks a lot like "apología", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "apología" in English?
To say "apología" in English, use "defense / praise". If you use "apology" instead, you would actually be saying "an expression of regret for doing something wrong".
Do "apology" and "apología" mean the same thing?
In Greek, "apología" was an intellectual defense of one's own ideas, like Socrates' Apology. Spanish kept that formal, rhetorical sense. English "apology" drifted toward saying sorry and expressing regret.
Other confusing false friends
More confusing false friends
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