What it's NOT
scholar does NOT translate to escolar.
To say "escolar" in English, use schoolchild / pupil.
ESEN
False cognate · False friend
scholar
Does NOT mean escolar
It means an academic / expert
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
scholar means an academic / expert.
Why it's confused
Spanish "escolar" refers to school-related things or a basic-level student. English "scholar" is an academic or expert with deep, recognized knowledge in a field. A schoolchild in English is "student" or "pupil."
How it's pronounced
scholarSCÓ-lar
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Examples of correct use
English
She's a respected scholar.
Spanish
Es una académica respetada.
English
He's a scholar of ancient history.
Spanish
Es un erudito en historia antigua.
A trick to remember it
Scholar = an academic/expert. A schoolchild (Spanish "escolar") = student/pupil.
Mini quiz
"A famous scholar" is...
Frequently asked questions
What does "scholar" mean in English?
"Scholar" means "an academic / expert". It looks a lot like "escolar", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "escolar" in English?
To say "escolar" in English, use "schoolchild / pupil". If you use "scholar" instead, you would actually be saying "an academic / expert".
Do "scholar" and "escolar" mean the same thing?
Spanish "escolar" refers to school-related things or a basic-level student. English "scholar" is an academic or expert with deep, recognized knowledge in a field. A schoolchild in English is "student" or "pupil."
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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