False friends: recovery

The English word recovery does sound like the Italian word “ricovero” but it’s actually something quite different. If you wish someone a “speedy recovery” you’re not hoping that they’ll be quickly admitted into hospital, but that they’ll soon feel better and return to a state of good health. So it is connected with health, and could be translated as “guarigione”. It can be used not only for people but also for ecosystems such as burnt forests, or even for economic situations, in which case it would be “ripresa” or “recupero”.

Foto di Christian Bass su Unsplash