What it's NOT
familiar does NOT translate to familiar (pariente).
To say "familiar (pariente)" in English, use relative.
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False cognate · False friend
familiar
Does NOT mean familiar (pariente)
It means recognizable / that rings a bell
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
familiar means recognizable / that rings a bell.
Why it's confused
Spanish "familiar" refers to something family-related or to a relative. English "familiar" means recognizable, something that feels known or close. A relative in English is "family member" or "relative."
How it's pronounced
familiarfa-MÍ-liar
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Examples of correct use
English
Your face looks familiar.
Spanish
Tu cara me resulta conocida.
English
The street felt familiar.
Spanish
La calle me resultaba familiar.
A trick to remember it
Familiar = recognizable/rings a bell. A relative (Spanish "familiar") = relative.
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Frequently asked questions
What does "familiar" mean in English?
"Familiar" means "recognizable / that rings a bell". It looks a lot like "familiar", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "familiar" in English?
To say "familiar" in English, use "relative". If you use "familiar" instead, you would actually be saying "recognizable / that rings a bell".
Do "familiar" and "familiar" mean the same thing?
Spanish "familiar" refers to something family-related or to a relative. English "familiar" means recognizable, something that feels known or close. A relative in English is "family member" or "relative."
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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