What it's NOT
stranger does NOT translate to extranjero.
To say "extranjero" in English, use foreigner.
ESEN
False cognate · False friend
stranger
Does NOT mean extranjero
It means someone you don't know
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
stranger means someone you don't know.
Why it's confused
Spanish "extranjero" is someone from another country or nation. English "stranger" is any person you don't know, regardless of their origin. A foreigner in English is "foreigner."
How it's pronounced
strangerSTRÉIN-yer
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Examples of correct use
English
Don't talk to strangers.
Spanish
No hables con desconocidos.
English
A stranger helped me find the way.
Spanish
Un desconocido me ayudó a encontrar el camino.
A trick to remember it
Stranger = someone you don't know. Someone from another country (Spanish "extranjero") = foreigner.
Mini quiz
"A stranger" is...
Frequently asked questions
What does "stranger" mean in English?
"Stranger" means "someone you don't know". It looks a lot like "extranjero", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "extranjero" in English?
To say "extranjero" in English, use "foreigner". If you use "stranger" instead, you would actually be saying "someone you don't know".
Do "stranger" and "extranjero" mean the same thing?
Spanish "extranjero" is someone from another country or nation. English "stranger" is any person you don't know, regardless of their origin. A foreigner in English is "foreigner."
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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