What it's NOT
office does NOT translate to oficio.
To say "oficio" in English, use trade / craft.
ESEN
False cognate · False friend
office
Does NOT mean oficio
It means a workplace / a business room
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
office means a workplace / a business room.
Why it's confused
Spanish "oficio" is a manual or artisan trade, or an official document. English "office" is the workplace or business room. A trade in English is "craft" or "trade" depending on context.
How it's pronounced
officeÓ-fis
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Examples of correct use
English
I left my keys at the office.
Spanish
Dejé mis llaves en la oficina.
English
She runs for public office.
Spanish
Se postula para un cargo público.
A trick to remember it
Office = a workplace/room. A manual trade (Spanish "oficio") = trade/craft.
Mini quiz
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Frequently asked questions
What does "office" mean in English?
"Office" means "a workplace / a business room". It looks a lot like "oficio", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "oficio" in English?
To say "oficio" in English, use "trade / craft". If you use "office" instead, you would actually be saying "a workplace / a business room".
Do "office" and "oficio" mean the same thing?
Spanish "oficio" is a manual or artisan trade, or an official document. English "office" is the workplace or business room. A trade in English is "craft" or "trade" depending on context.
Other confusing false friends
More confusing false friends
Library, embarrassed, actually... the full list of words that look the same but mean something different.
Publicidad