What it's NOT
delight does NOT translate to delito.
To say "delito" in English, use crime.
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False cognate · False friend
delight
Does NOT mean delito
It means pleasure / joy
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
delight means pleasure / joy.
Why it's confused
Spanish "delito" is a crime or legal offense. English "delight" is an intense joy or genuine pleasure. The visual resemblance is coincidental; the meanings are opposite in emotional tone.
How it's pronounced
delightdi-LÁIT
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Examples of correct use
English
The cake was a delight.
Spanish
El pastel fue un deleite.
English
She smiled with delight.
Spanish
Sonrió con gran placer.
A trick to remember it
Delight = pleasure/joy. A crime (Spanish "delito") = crime.
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"What a delight!" means...
Frequently asked questions
What does "delight" mean in English?
"Delight" means "pleasure / joy". It looks a lot like "delito", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "delito" in English?
To say "delito" in English, use "crime". If you use "delight" instead, you would actually be saying "pleasure / joy".
Do "delight" and "delito" mean the same thing?
Spanish "delito" is a crime or legal offense. English "delight" is an intense joy or genuine pleasure. The visual resemblance is coincidental; the meanings are opposite in emotional tone.
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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