False Friends: Application vs Aplicação

If you live in Australia and you deal with Portuguese people here, you will hear these two words confused regularly. I believe it might happen the same in other English speaking countries.

As you can see both words are spelt almost identically. This example it's quite tricky, since you can use them with the same meaning for a lot of things. However, if you refer to "application" as a claim, then you can't use "aplicação" for its translation ...

In English, when the word "application" refers to a request, a petition, a claim or demand should be translated to Portuguese as candidatura ou inscrição. The Portuguese word "aplicação" refers to purpose, function, efort, computer software, lotions and creams.

Please note, that these words can be used with a similar meaning as for purpose, function, computer programs or lotions. However, if you are talking about a claim, then you cannot use the word "aplicação" and you should use "candidatura".

Kangas

Sources: Colins Online Dictionary, Dicionário Priberam Online