What it's NOT
costume does NOT translate to costumbre.
To say "costumbre" in English, use habit / custom.
ESEN
False cognate · False friend
costume
Does NOT mean costumbre
It means a disguise / dress-up outfit
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
costume means a disguise / dress-up outfit.
Why it's confused
Spanish "costumbre" is a habit or cultural tradition that repeats. English "costume" is a disguise or period outfit. Spanish "costumbre" in English is "custom" or "habit."
How it's pronounced
costumeCÓS-tum
Tap the button to hear the real pronunciation.
Examples of correct use
English
His Halloween costume was a pirate.
Spanish
Su disfraz de Halloween era de pirata.
English
The actors wore historical costumes.
Spanish
Los actores llevaban vestuarios históricos.
A trick to remember it
Costume = a disguise/outfit. A habit or tradition (Spanish "costumbre") = habit/custom.
Mini quiz
"A scary costume" means...
Frequently asked questions
What does "costume" mean in English?
"Costume" means "a disguise / dress-up outfit". It looks a lot like "costumbre", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "costumbre" in English?
To say "costumbre" in English, use "habit / custom". If you use "costume" instead, you would actually be saying "a disguise / dress-up outfit".
Do "costume" and "costumbre" mean the same thing?
Spanish "costumbre" is a habit or cultural tradition that repeats. English "costume" is a disguise or period outfit. Spanish "costumbre" in English is "custom" or "habit."
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