What it's NOT
sane does NOT translate to sano.
To say "sano" in English, use healthy.
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False cognate · False friend
sane
Does NOT mean sano
It means mentally stable / of sound mind
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
sane means mentally stable / of sound mind.
Why it's confused
Spanish "sano" describes someone physically healthy or something healthful. English "sane" refers to mental health: being of sound mind and reasoning clearly. Physically healthy in English is "healthy."
How it's pronounced
saneSÉIN
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Examples of correct use
English
He seems perfectly sane.
Spanish
Parece perfectamente cuerdo.
English
Staying calm kept me sane.
Spanish
Mantener la calma me mantuvo cuerdo.
A trick to remember it
Sane = of sound mind. Physically healthy (Spanish "sano") = healthy.
Mini quiz
"Is he sane?" asks whether someone is...
Frequently asked questions
What does "sane" mean in English?
"Sane" means "mentally stable / of sound mind". It looks a lot like "sano", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "sano" in English?
To say "sano" in English, use "healthy". If you use "sane" instead, you would actually be saying "mentally stable / of sound mind".
Do "sane" and "sano" mean the same thing?
Spanish "sano" describes someone physically healthy or something healthful. English "sane" refers to mental health: being of sound mind and reasoning clearly. Physically healthy in English is "healthy."
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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