How to Say "fake" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “fake” is “falso” — use 'falso' for things that are counterfeit or imitation, like fake money, a fake designer item, or a false alarm.
falso
FAHL-sohˈfalso
Examples
Me vendieron un reloj falso en la calle.
They sold me a fake watch on the street.
Ella tiene una sonrisa falsa, no parece feliz.
She has an insincere (false) smile; she doesn't look happy.
Descubrieron que el dinero era falso.
They discovered that the money was counterfeit.
Using Ser vs. Estar
When describing a person's character as deceitful, always use 'ser': 'Él es falso' (He is a false person). You would not typically use 'estar' with this meaning.
imitación
Examples
Este reloj es una imitación barata.
This watch is a cheap knock-off.
artificial
ar-tee-fee-SYALaɾtifiˈsjal
Examples
Ella me dio una sonrisa un poco artificial.
She gave me a somewhat fake smile.
Su entusiasmo parecía muy artificial.
His enthusiasm seemed very forced.
inventado
een-vehn-TAH-dohim.benˈta.ðo
Examples
Su coartada era completamente inventada.
His alibi was completely made up.
La noticia resultó ser inventada por un periódico sensacionalista.
The news turned out to be fake (invented) by a sensationalist newspaper.
No te creas ese rumor; es inventado.
Don't believe that rumor; it's fake.
Adjusting the Ending
As an adjective, 'inventado' must change its ending to match the noun it describes: 'inventada' (f.), 'inventados' (m. plural), 'inventadas' (f. plural).
impostor
eem-pohs-TOHRim.posˈtoɾ
Examples
El impostor se hizo pasar por un cirujano famoso.
The impostor pretended to be a famous surgeon.
Nadie sospechaba que el nuevo vecino era un impostor.
No one suspected that the new neighbor was an impostor.
La policía finalmente atrapó al impostor en el aeropuerto.
The police finally caught the impostor at the airport.
The 'Personal A'
When you are doing something to an impostor (like seeing or catching them), you must put 'a' before the word: 'Vi a un impostor'.
Gendered Endings
This version (impostor) is for a man. If you are talking about a woman, you must use 'impostora' and change the words around it to match.
Confusing with 'Mentiroso'
Mistake: “Calling someone an 'impostor' just because they lied about their age.”
Correction: Use 'mentiroso' for a liar. An 'impostor' specifically steals an identity or a specific role they don't have.
falsificación
Examples
La falsificación de dinero es un delito muy grave.
Counterfeiting money is a very serious crime.
artificiales
ar-tee-fee-see-AH-lesaɾtifiˈθjales
Examples
Las flores artificiales no necesitan agua.
Artificial flowers do not need water.
Muchos atletas usan superficies artificiales para entrenar.
Many athletes use artificial surfaces to train.
El gobierno está invirtiendo en lagos artificiales para la ciudad.
The government is investing in artificial lakes for the city.
Adjective Agreement (Plural)
Since 'artificiales' ends in -es, it is used to describe more than one thing. It works for both masculine plural nouns (like 'lagos artificiales') and feminine plural nouns (like 'luces artificiales').
Position
This adjective usually goes right after the noun it describes, like in 'productos artificiales' (artificial products), to clearly show what kind of product you are talking about.
Forgetting the Plural Ending
Mistake: “Compramos flores artificial.”
Correction: Compramos flores artificiales. Remember, if you are talking about many flowers ('flores'), the describing word must also be plural.
Falso vs. Artificial
Related Translations
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