What it's NOT
spade does NOT translate to espada.
To say "espada" in English, use sword.
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False cognate · False friend
spade
Does NOT mean espada
It means a digging tool / a card suit
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
spade means a digging tool / a card suit.
Why it's confused
Spanish "espada" is the weapon with a long, sharp blade. English "spade" is a digging tool for soil. Despite some visual resemblance, "sword" is the English word for espada.
How it's pronounced
spadeSPÉID
Tap the button to hear the real pronunciation.
Examples of correct use
English
He dug the hole with a spade.
Spanish
Cavó el hoyo con una pala.
English
She drew the ace of spades.
Spanish
Sacó el as de picas.
A trick to remember it
Spade = a digging tool (or the card suit). A sword (Spanish "espada") = sword.
Mini quiz
"A garden spade" is...
Frequently asked questions
What does "spade" mean in English?
"Spade" means "a digging tool / a card suit". It looks a lot like "espada", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "espada" in English?
To say "espada" in English, use "sword". If you use "spade" instead, you would actually be saying "a digging tool / a card suit".
Do "spade" and "espada" mean the same thing?
Spanish "espada" is the weapon with a long, sharp blade. English "spade" is a digging tool for soil. Despite some visual resemblance, "sword" is the English word for espada.
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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