What it's NOT
casualty does NOT translate to casualidad.
To say "casualidad" in English, use coincidence.
ESEN
False cognate · False friend
casualty
Does NOT mean casualidad
It means a victim of an accident or conflict
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
casualty means a victim of an accident or conflict.
Why it's confused
Spanish "casualidad" is a coincidence, something that happens by chance without planning. English "casualty" is a victim of an accident or conflict. Completely different meanings despite the visual similarity.
How it's pronounced
casualtyCÁ-shual-ti
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Examples of correct use
English
There were no casualties in the crash.
Spanish
No hubo víctimas en el accidente.
English
The storm caused several casualties.
Spanish
La tormenta causó varias víctimas.
A trick to remember it
Casualty = a victim. A coincidence (Spanish "casualidad") = coincidence.
Mini quiz
"No casualties" means...
Frequently asked questions
What does "casualty" mean in English?
"Casualty" means "a victim of an accident or conflict". It looks a lot like "casualidad", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "casualidad" in English?
To say "casualidad" in English, use "coincidence". If you use "casualty" instead, you would actually be saying "a victim of an accident or conflict".
Do "casualty" and "casualidad" mean the same thing?
Spanish "casualidad" is a coincidence, something that happens by chance without planning. English "casualty" is a victim of an accident or conflict. Completely different meanings despite the visual similarity.
Other confusing false friends
More confusing false friends
Library, embarrassed, actually... the full list of words that look the same but mean something different.
Publicidad