What it's NOT
gracious does NOT translate to gracioso.
To say "gracioso" in English, use funny.
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False cognate · False friend
gracious
Does NOT mean gracioso
It means polite / courteous
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
gracious means polite / courteous.
Why it's confused
Spanish "gracioso" is someone funny, who makes people laugh, who has a sense of humor. English "gracious" is someone elegant, generous, and courteous in how they treat others. Funny in English is "funny."
How it's pronounced
graciousGRÉI-shus
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Examples of correct use
English
She was gracious to all her guests.
Spanish
Fue amable con todos sus invitados.
English
That's very gracious of you.
Spanish
Es muy gentil de tu parte.
A trick to remember it
Gracious = polite/courteous. Funny (Spanish "gracioso") = funny.
Mini quiz
"A gracious host" is a host who is...
Frequently asked questions
What does "gracious" mean in English?
"Gracious" means "polite / courteous". It looks a lot like "gracioso", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "gracioso" in English?
To say "gracioso" in English, use "funny". If you use "gracious" instead, you would actually be saying "polite / courteous".
Do "gracious" and "gracioso" mean the same thing?
Spanish "gracioso" is someone funny, who makes people laugh, who has a sense of humor. English "gracious" is someone elegant, generous, and courteous in how they treat others. Funny in English is "funny."
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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