What it's NOT
realize does NOT translate to realizar.
To say "realizar" in English, use to carry out / to do.
ESEN
False cognate · False friend
realize
Does NOT mean realizar
It means to suddenly become aware
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
realize means to suddenly become aware.
Why it's confused
Spanish "realizar" means to carry out, execute, or accomplish something. English "realize" means to suddenly become aware of or understand something. To carry something out in English is "carry out" or "accomplish."
How it's pronounced
realizeRÍ-a-laiz
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Examples of correct use
English
I didn't realize it was so late.
Spanish
No me di cuenta de que era tan tarde.
English
She realized she had forgotten her keys.
Spanish
Ella se dio cuenta de que había olvidado sus llaves.
A trick to remember it
Realize = to suddenly become aware. To carry out/do something (Spanish "realizar") = carry out/do.
Mini quiz
"I realized the truth" means...
Frequently asked questions
What does "realize" mean in English?
"Realize" means "to suddenly become aware". It looks a lot like "realizar", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "realizar" in English?
To say "realizar" in English, use "to carry out / to do". If you use "realize" instead, you would actually be saying "to suddenly become aware".
Do "realize" and "realizar" mean the same thing?
Spanish "realizar" means to carry out, execute, or accomplish something. English "realize" means to suddenly become aware of or understand something. To carry something out in English is "carry out" or "accomplish."
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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