What it's NOT
assist does NOT translate to asistir (a un lugar).
To say "asistir (a un lugar)" in English, use to attend.
ESEN
False cognate · False friend
assist
Does NOT mean asistir (a un lugar)
It means to help
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
assist means to help.
Why it's confused
Spanish "asistir" has two senses: to go somewhere and to help someone. English "assist" only kept the sense of helping. To say Spanish "asistir a un evento" in English, the right word is "attend."
How it's pronounced
assista-SÍST
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Examples of correct use
English
A nurse assisted the doctor during surgery.
Spanish
Una enfermera ayudó al doctor durante la cirugía.
English
Can you assist me with this report?
Spanish
¿Me puedes ayudar con este informe?
A trick to remember it
Assist = to help (like an assistant lending a hand). To attend an event (Spanish "asistir") = attend.
Mini quiz
"I attended the meeting" means...
Frequently asked questions
What does "assist" mean in English?
"Assist" means "to help". It looks a lot like "asistir", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "asistir" in English?
To say "asistir" in English, use "to attend". If you use "assist" instead, you would actually be saying "to help".
Do "assist" and "asistir" mean the same thing?
Spanish "asistir" has two senses: to go somewhere and to help someone. English "assist" only kept the sense of helping. To say Spanish "asistir a un evento" in English, the right word is "attend."
Other confusing false friends
More confusing false friends
Library, embarrassed, actually... the full list of words that look the same but mean something different.
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