What it's NOT
mascot does NOT translate to mascota (animal).
To say "mascota (animal)" in English, use pet.
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False cognate · False friend
mascot
Does NOT mean mascota (animal)
It means a team's symbolic character or animal
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
mascot means a team's symbolic character or animal.
Why it's confused
Spanish "mascotas" are the pets that live in your home. English "mascot" is the symbol, character, or animal representing a team or institution. A house pet in English is "pet."
How it's pronounced
mascotMÁS-cot
Tap the button to hear the real pronunciation.
Examples of correct use
English
The team's mascot is a lion.
Spanish
La mascota del equipo es un león.
English
He dressed up as the mascot.
Spanish
Se disfrazó de la mascota.
A trick to remember it
Mascot = a team's symbolic character. A house pet (Spanish "mascota") = pet.
Mini quiz
"The team mascot" is...
Frequently asked questions
What does "mascot" mean in English?
"Mascot" means "a team's symbolic character or animal". It looks a lot like "mascota", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "mascota" in English?
To say "mascota" in English, use "pet". If you use "mascot" instead, you would actually be saying "a team's symbolic character or animal".
Do "mascot" and "mascota" mean the same thing?
Spanish "mascotas" are the pets that live in your home. English "mascot" is the symbol, character, or animal representing a team or institution. A house pet in English is "pet."
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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