What it's NOT
cigar does NOT translate to cigarro.
To say "cigarro" in English, use cigarette.
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False cognate · False friend
cigar
Does NOT mean cigarro
It means a rolled tobacco leaf smoked whole
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
cigar means a rolled tobacco leaf smoked whole.
Why it's confused
Spanish "cigarro" can mean either a cigarette or a cigar depending on the country. English "cigar" is specifically the large rolled tobacco leaf. A cigarette in English is "cigarette."
How it's pronounced
cigarsi-GÁR
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Examples of correct use
English
He smoked a Cuban cigar.
Spanish
Se fumó un puro cubano.
English
They celebrated with cigars.
Spanish
Celebraron con puros.
A trick to remember it
Cigar = the big rolled tobacco. A cigarette (Spanish "cigarro/cigarrillo") = cigarette.
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Frequently asked questions
What does "cigar" mean in English?
"Cigar" means "a rolled tobacco leaf smoked whole". It looks a lot like "cigarro", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "cigarro" in English?
To say "cigarro" in English, use "cigarette". If you use "cigar" instead, you would actually be saying "a rolled tobacco leaf smoked whole".
Do "cigar" and "cigarro" mean the same thing?
Spanish "cigarro" can mean either a cigarette or a cigar depending on the country. English "cigar" is specifically the large rolled tobacco leaf. A cigarette in English is "cigarette."
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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