What it's NOT
pendant does NOT translate to pendiente.
To say "pendiente" in English, use earring / pending.
ESEN
False cognate · False friend
pendant
Does NOT mean pendiente
It means a hanging piece of jewelry
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
pendant means a hanging piece of jewelry.
Why it's confused
Spanish "pendiente" can be an unresolved debt, a pending task, or the slope of land. English "pendant" is a piece of hanging jewelry. Spanish "pendiente" as an unfinished task in English is "pending."
How it's pronounced
pendantPÉN-dant
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Examples of correct use
English
She wore a gold pendant.
Spanish
Llevaba un colgante de oro.
English
The pendant hung from a chain.
Spanish
El dije colgaba de una cadena.
A trick to remember it
Pendant = a hanging piece of jewelry. An earring (Spanish "pendiente") = earring; pending = pending.
Mini quiz
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Frequently asked questions
What does "pendant" mean in English?
"Pendant" means "a hanging piece of jewelry". It looks a lot like "pendiente", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "pendiente" in English?
To say "pendiente" in English, use "earring / pending". If you use "pendant" instead, you would actually be saying "a hanging piece of jewelry".
Do "pendant" and "pendiente" mean the same thing?
Spanish "pendiente" can be an unresolved debt, a pending task, or the slope of land. English "pendant" is a piece of hanging jewelry. Spanish "pendiente" as an unfinished task in English is "pending."
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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