What it's NOT
dispose does NOT translate to disponer.
To say "disponer" in English, use to arrange / to have available.
ESEN
False cognate · False friend
dispose
Does NOT mean disponer
It means to throw away / get rid of
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
dispose means to throw away / get rid of.
Why it's confused
Spanish "disponer" means to arrange something or to have something available to use. English "dispose" (of) means to get rid of something, eliminate it, or discard it. "To have resources available" in English is "have available."
How it's pronounced
disposedis-PÓUS
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Examples of correct use
English
Dispose of the trash properly.
Spanish
Deshazte de la basura correctamente.
English
How do we dispose of old batteries?
Spanish
¿Cómo nos deshacemos de las pilas viejas?
A trick to remember it
Dispose of = to throw away/get rid of. To arrange/have available (Spanish "disponer") = arrange/have available.
Mini quiz
"Dispose of the waste" means...
Frequently asked questions
What does "dispose" mean in English?
"Dispose" means "to throw away / get rid of". It looks a lot like "disponer", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "disponer" in English?
To say "disponer" in English, use "to arrange / to have available". If you use "dispose" instead, you would actually be saying "to throw away / get rid of".
Do "dispose" and "disponer" mean the same thing?
Spanish "disponer" means to arrange something or to have something available to use. English "dispose" (of) means to get rid of something, eliminate it, or discard it. "To have resources available" in English is "have available."
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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