What it's NOT
deliberate does NOT translate to deliberar (debatir).
To say "deliberar (debatir)" in English, use to debate / to discuss.
ESEN
False cognate · False friend
deliberate
Does NOT mean deliberar (debatir)
It means intentional / on purpose
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
deliberate means intentional / on purpose.
Why it's confused
The Latin root "deliberare" meant to reflect before deciding. Spanish "deliberar" kept that sense of discussing and thinking it over. English "deliberate" as an adjective took on the sense of intentional, done on purpose.
How it's pronounced
deliberatedi-LÍ-be-ret
Tap the button to hear the real pronunciation.
Examples of correct use
English
It was a deliberate lie.
Spanish
Fue una mentira intencional.
English
She made a deliberate effort to help.
Spanish
Hizo un esfuerzo deliberado por ayudar.
A trick to remember it
Deliberate (adjective) = intentional/on purpose. To debate (Spanish "deliberar") = to debate.
Mini quiz
"A deliberate mistake" is a mistake that is...
Frequently asked questions
What does "deliberate" mean in English?
"Deliberate" means "intentional / on purpose". It looks a lot like "deliberar", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "deliberar" in English?
To say "deliberar" in English, use "to debate / to discuss". If you use "deliberate" instead, you would actually be saying "intentional / on purpose".
Do "deliberate" and "deliberar" mean the same thing?
The Latin root "deliberare" meant to reflect before deciding. Spanish "deliberar" kept that sense of discussing and thinking it over. English "deliberate" as an adjective took on the sense of intentional, done on purpose.
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