What it's NOT
nude does NOT translate to nudo.
To say "nudo" in English, use knot.
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False cognate · False friend
nude
Does NOT mean nudo
It means naked / unclothed
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
nude means naked / unclothed.
Why it's confused
Spanish "nudo" is the tie formed when you knot a rope. English "nude" is the state of being unclothed. A knot in English is "knot."
How it's pronounced
nudeNIÚD
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Examples of correct use
English
The painting shows a nude figure.
Spanish
El cuadro muestra una figura desnuda.
English
She wore a nude-colored dress.
Spanish
Llevaba un vestido color piel.
A trick to remember it
Nude = naked (or a skin-tone color). A rope knot (Spanish "nudo") = knot.
Mini quiz
"A nude photo" is a photo of...
Frequently asked questions
What does "nude" mean in English?
"Nude" means "naked / unclothed". It looks a lot like "nudo", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "nudo" in English?
To say "nudo" in English, use "knot". If you use "nude" instead, you would actually be saying "naked / unclothed".
Do "nude" and "nudo" mean the same thing?
Spanish "nudo" is the tie formed when you knot a rope. English "nude" is the state of being unclothed. A knot in English is "knot."
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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