Examples of false friends between English and other languages
| Non-English word
| Which resembles English
| But actually means
|
| abbé (French)
| abbey
| priest or abbot
|
| accuser (French)
| accuse
| can mean "to acknowledge" (accuser réception = acknowledge receipt), although it means "accuse" in most cases
|
actual (Romanian)
actual (Spanish)
actueel (Dutch)
aktuala (Esperanto)
actuel (French)
aktuell (German)
aktualny (Polish)
aktuelan (Serbian)
attuale (Italian)
atual (Portuguese)
| actual
| current
|
adepte (French)
adept (Romanian)
adept (Polish)
adepto (Portuguese)
adepto (Spanish)
| adept (proficient)
| follower
|
| administré (French)
| administered
| citizen (as seen from an elected official; old-fashioned)
user of a public administration (old-fashioned)
may also mean "administered"
|
| ado (French)
| ado (fuss)
| short for adolescent
|
advertência (Portuguese)
advertencia (Spanish)
avertissement (French)
avertisment (Romanian)
| advertisement
| warning
|
affluent (French)
afluent (Romanian)
afluente (Spanish)
affluente (Italian)
| affluent (wealthy)
| tributary (of a river) [effluent]
|
| After (German)
| after
| anus
|
| agencé (French)
| agency
| laid out or arranged
|
agent (French)
agente (Spanish)
| agent
| officer, police officer, agent
|
| ail (French)
| ail (sicken)
| garlic
|
| aimer (French)
| to aim
| to love or to like
|
| aire (French)
| air
| area (mathematics)
|
| alerte (French)
| alert
| agile, alert
|
| also (German)
| also
| thus
|
| allure (French)
| allure (the power to attract)
| speed, bearing; allure
|
| alto (French)
| alto (singer)
| viola, alto (singer)
|
| alto (Italian, Portuguese and Spanish)
| alto (singer)
| high; in Spanish it can also mean "stop!" (imperative)
|
| an (latin)
| an, or perhaps on when read
| or
|
ananas (French, Finnish, Italian, Romanian, Hebrew and Serbian)
Ananas (German)
| bananas
| pineapple
|
| ancien (French)
| ancient
| can mean very old but often means just former, ex-
|
|
| ânon (French)
| anon (short for anonymous)
| baby donkey
|
| anser (Latin)
| answer
| goose
|
| anus (latin)
| anus
| old woman
|
apologie (French)
apologie (Romanian)
apología (Spanish)
(
apologia (Italian and Portuguese)
| apology
| praise, vindication
|
| appoint (French)
| appoint
| (extra) contribution or help
|
apontar (Portuguese)
apuntar (Spanish)
| appoint
| (to) aim; (to) note down; (to) button up
|
| arc (French and Romanian)
| arc, ark
| bow (weapon), arc
|
arme (French)
arma (Spanish)
| arm (body part)
| weapon
|
| as (Spanish, Polish, Serbian and French)
| ass / as
| ace
|
| asbestos (Greek)
| asbestos
| quicklime
|
| ask (Swedish)
| ask
| small box; ash (tree)
|
| aß (German)
| ass
| ate
|
| assortie (French)
| assorted
| matched, matching
|
| assister (French)
asistir (Spanish)
assistere (Italian)
| assist
| attend (means both assist and attend in Italian)
|
atendi (Esperanto)
attendere (Italian)
attendre (French)
| attend
| to wait for; to expect
|
| bald (German)
| bald
| soon
|
| barn (Swedish)
bairn (Scots)
| barn
| child, children
|
| beg (Manx)
| big
| little
|
| bekommen (German)
| become
| obtain, receive, get (compare English "come by")
(Note: There is a joke to this in German: a German comes into a British restaurant and waits half an hour for his food. Finally, he asks the waiter:"When shall I become my steak?" "I should hope never, sir."
|
| beraten (German)
| berate
| advise, discuss
|
bilion (Romanian, Serbian)
bilione (Italian)
biljon (Swedish)
Billion (German)
billion (French and Norwegian)
billón (Spanish)
| billion
| 'Trillion' (1012 or million million) - see billion.
|
| blesser (French)
| (to) bless
| (to) injure
|
bloc (Spanish)
Block (German)
blok (Serbian)
block (Swedish)
| block
| can mean note pad
|
| boleta (Spanish)
| bullet
| admission ticket
|
| bond (French)
| bond
| leap, bound
|
| brancher (French)
| branch
| (to) be plugged in
(to) be cool (colloq.)
|
brand (Swedish, Dutch)
Brand (German)
| brand
| fire
|
| bras (French)
| bra(ssiere)s
| arm (the body part)
|
brat (брат) (Russian, Serbian)
brat (Polish)
| brat
| brother
|
brav (German)
bravo/a (Italian)
braaf (Dutch)
| brave
| well-behaved
|
| brushing (French)
| to brush
| a blow-dry (hairdresser's)
|
| brutaal (Dutch)
| brutal
| bold
|
| calzón / calzones (Spanish), calzone / calzoni (Italian), caleçon (French)
| calzone
| underwear (of course calzone comes from Italian, but in that language the main use of the word is for underwear)
|
| canto (Latin, Italian and Spanish)
| canto
| I sing; in Spanish, can also mean pebble, edge, or piece
|
| car (French)
| car
| bus or coach; because
|
| Car (German)
| car
| charter bus, motor coach
|
| car (Romanian)
| car
| I carry
|
carácter (Spanish)
carattere (Italian)
caractère (French)
| character
| temperament; can also mean "character" in the typographic meaning
|
| casino (Italian)
| casino
| brothel
|
| casualmente (Spanish and Italian)
| casually
| fortuitously
|
| chair (French)
| chair
| flesh
|
| chance (French)
| chance
| luck
|
| chat (French)
| chat (conversation)
| cat
|
chef (French)
Chef (German)
szef (Polish)
šef (Serbian)
| chef
| boss (in French, occasionally means "cook" or "head cook")
|
| coin (French)
| coin
| corner
|
| compromiso (Spanish)
| compromise
| promise
|
| constipado (Spanish)
| constipated
| someone who has a cold
|
corne (French)
corno (Italian)
cuerno (Spanish)
| corn
| horn
|
crayon (French)
creion (Romanian)
| crayon
| pencil (a wax crayon is crayon de cire in French)
|
culte (French)
kult (Polish)
culto (Spanish)
| cult
| worship (as in lieu de culte = house of worship). In Spanish it can also mean "educated".
|
| culo (Spanish and Italian)
| cool
| arse
|
| demandar (Spanish)
| to demand
| to sue
|
demander (French)
domandare (Italian)
| to demand
| to ask or request
|
| die (German)
| (to) die
| the [feminine and plural article; example: die Ehefrau (the wife), die Häuser (the houses)]
|
| dick (German)
| dick (slang for the penis or a detective) also short for Richard, e.g. in idiom "every Tom, Dick and Harry"
| fat (adjective only), thick
|
| diverse (Swedish and German)
| diverse
| various
|
| diverso (Italian)
| diverse
| different
|
| dag (דג) (Hebrew)
| dog
| fish
|
| Dom (German)
| dome
| cathedral
|
| dom (Serbian, Polish)
| dome
| home
|
| dungo (Esperanto)
| dung
| employment
|
| douche (Dutch, French)
| douche
| shower (bath)
|
| egg (Swedish)
| egg
| edge of a cutting tool, such as knife edge
|
| ego (Latin)
| ego
| I
|
| eleven (Spanish)
| eleven
| elevate! (imperative tense)
|
| empirer (French)
| empire
| to become worse
|
| europé (Swedish)
| Europe
| European person
|
angajat (Romanian)
engagerad (Swedish)
| engaged
| considered or involved in something in Swedish; involved or employed in Romanian
|
| embarazada (Spanish)
| embarrassed
| pregnant
|
| entrée (French)
| entrée, main dish
| entrance, entry, or appetizer
|
etichetă (Romanian)
etichetta (Italian)
etiket (Dutch)
Etiketa (Serbian)
Etikett (German)
etiqueta (Spanish)
étiquette (French)
| etiquette
| label (can also mean etiquette in French, Spanish or Serbian, but is mostly used as label)
|
eventual (Romanian)
eventualmente (Spanish and Italian)
eventueel (Dutch)
eventuell (German and Swedish)
éventuellement (French)
| eventually
| maybe, perhaps, possibly
|
| éxito (Spanish)
| exit
| success
|
fabbrica (Italian)
fabrică (Romanian)
fábrica (Spanish)
fabriek (Dutch)
Fabrik (German)
fabrik (Swedish)
fabrika (Serbian)
fabryka (Polish)
fabrique (French)
| fabric
| factory (compare 'fabricate') Possible origin due to large Victorian factories producing woven fabric.
|
facilidad (Spanish)
facilité (French)
facilità (Italian)
| facility
| ease
|
fagotto (Italian)
fagot (Spanish)
Fagott (German)
| faggot
| bassoon
|
Fahrt (German)
vaart (Dutch)
| fart
| German: journey; speed; trip, excursion, voyage
Dutch: similar, but only used for ships, also canal
|
| familiär (German)
| familiar
| familial
|
| familiya (фамилия) (Russian)
| family
| surname
|
| far (French)
| far
| a kind of dessert from Brittany
|
| far (Romanian)
| far
| lighthouse
|
| far (Swedish)
| far
| father
|
| fart (Swedish)
| fart
| speed
|
| fart (Polish)
| fart
| luck
|
| fast (German)
| fast
| nearly, almost
|
| fast (Swedish)
| fast
| firm, steady (compare "steadfast")
|
| fat (Swedish)
| fat
| (dinner) plate
|
| fat (發) (Cantonese)
| fat
| to exhibit; to distribute; prosperity (used in conjunction with 財, as in gong hei fat choi)
|
| fattoria (Italian)
| factory
| farm
|
| file (French)
| file
| line; queue (in computing)
|
| final (Romanian)
| finally (as in "at last")
| at the end (as in "finish")
|
| flint (Swedish)
| flint
| bald head
|
| for (Esperanto)
| for
| away
|
| foresto (Esperanto)
| forest
| absence
|
fort (French)
forte (Italian)
| fort
| strong (but can also mean fort)
|
| garder (French)
| guard
| to keep, e.g., gardez froid=keep cool [of food, etc.]
|
Gift (German)
gif (Dutch)
| gift
| poison
|
| gift (Swedish)
| gift
| married, poison
|
gimnaziu (Romanian)
Gymnasium (German, Dutch and Swedish)
| gym(nasium)
| high(er) school, grammar school (see Secondary education)
|
| glass (Swedish)
| glass
| icecream
|
| Glut (German)
| glut
| heat; glow; embers
|
| go (Japanese)
| to go
| Japanese board game
|
| greippi (Finnish)
| grape
| grapefruit
|
| gren (Swedish)
| green
| branch
|
grippe (French)
Grippe (German)
gripa / gripe (Spanish)
| grip (hold) or gripe (complaint)
| influenza
|
| groin (French)
| groin
| snout
|
| grosería (Spanish)
| grocery
| profanity, bad word
|
| gun (pronounced as gwun in Chinese)
| gun
| a Chinese weapon
|
| Handy (German)
| handy
| mobile phone, cell phone ("Handy" is not really German, it is artificial (pseudo-English) from English and German "hand", but most Germans think that the word is English). It's a pseudo-anglicism.
|
| he (היא) (Hebrew)
| he
| she
|
| herb (German)
| herb
| harsh
|
| Hose (German)
| hose
| (pair of) trousers/pants
|
| host (Czech)
| host
| guest
|
| hot (Swedish)
| hot
| threat
|
huta (Polish)
| hut
| steel works
|
| i (Latin)
| I
| go! (imperative)
|
| Igel (German)
| eagle
| hedgehog
|
| is (Norwegian)
| is
| ice cream
|
| is (Latin)
| is
| you go
|
| is (Swedish
| is
| ice
|
Island (Swedish and German)
Islande (French)
Islanda (Italian)
| island
| Iceland
|
| it (Latin)
| it
| he/she/it goes
|
caution (French)
Kaution (German)
| caution
| deposit, bail
|
| kabinet (кабинет) (Russian)
| cabinet
| office
|
| kedr (Кедр) (Russian)
| cedar
| Siberian Pine
|
| kid (Swedish)
| kid (baby goat, child)
| fawn
|
| killa (Swedish)
| kill, killer
| tickle, scratch
|
| Kind (German)
| kind
| child
|
| kind (Swedish)
| kind
| cheek
|
| Kinn (German)
| kin
| chin
|
kontroll (Swedish)
kontrollieren (German)
| control
| check, examine
|
| korn (Swedish)
| corn
| barley
|
Kraft (German)
kraft (Swedish)
| craft
| power, strength
|
| kreatur (Swedish)
| creature
| cattle
|
| Kritik (German)
| critic
| criticism, review
|
| kropp (Swedish)
| crop
| body, mathematical field
|
| kut (Dutch)
| cut
| cunt (vulgar)
|
| lack (Swedish)
| lack
| lacquer
|
Last (German)
last (Swedish, Dutch)
| last
| load, burden
|
| libreria (Spanish
| library
| bookstore
|
| lime (French)
| lime
| file (the tool)
|
| Limo (German)
| limo
| soft drink, lemonade
|
| limpa (Swedish)
| limp
| loaf (bread), carton of cigarette packages
|
List (German)
list (Swedish language, Dutch)
| list
| cunning, artfulness, ruse
|
| list (лист) (Russian)
| list
| leaf
|
| lul (Dutch)
| lull
| penis (vulgar)
|
| lump (Swedish language)
| lump
| discarded fabric, slang for mandatory military service
|
lujuria (Spanish)
lussuria (Italian)
luxure (French)
| luxury
| lust
|
| magasin (French)
magazin (магазин) (Russian)
| magazine
| store, shop
|
| main (French)
| main
| hand
|
| mama (Georgian)
| mother
| father
|
| me (Finnish and Estonian)
| me
| we
|
| me (麼) (Mandarin)
| me
| interrogative marker
|
| me (Sumerian)
| me
| (divine) aura
|
| merci (French)
| mercy
| thank you
|
mille (Italian and French)
Mille (German (slang))
mil (Spanish)
| million, mile
| thousand; also "mile" in French and German
|
miséricorde (French)
misericordia (Italian and Spanish)
| misery
| mercy, forgiveness
|
| Mist (German)
| mist
| manure, droppings
|
| miting (Serbian)
| meeting
| political demonstration
|
Mode (German)
mode (Swedish, Dutch)
moda (Spanish and Italian)
| mode
| fashion, haute couture
|
moneda (Spanish)
moneta (Italian)
monnaie (French)
| money
| currency; also "coin" in Spanish and Italian, and "change" (returned from a purchase) in French
|
| Mörder (German)
| murder
| murderer
|
nai (ναι) (Greek)
no (Czech, Polish)
| nay, no
| yes
|
| noleggio (Italian)
| knowledge
| hire, rental
|
| Not (German)
| not
| need
|
Novelle (German)
novell (Swedish)
novella (Italian)
novela (Spanish)
novelli (Finnish)
nouvelle (French)
| novel
| short story
|
on (Polish)
on (Serbian)
| on
| he
|
| once (Spanish)
| once
| eleven
|
| or (French)
| or
| gold, now (introducing second proposition of a syllogism)
|
| ours (French)
| ours
| a bear
|
| pain (French)
| pain
| bread
|
| papa (Spanish)
| papa (slang) (father)
| potato
|
patetic (Romanian)
pathétique (French)
| pathetic
| emotional (in French, can also mean pathetic)
|
| pathetisch (German)
| pathetic
| solemn, lofty
|
| pavimento (Italian)
| pavement
| floor
|
| pétulant (French)
| petulant
| playful
|
| pingouin (French)
| penguin
| auk
|
polizia (Italian)
policía (Spanish)
| policy
| police
|
| pom (Romanian)
| Pommie, Pom
| Fruit bearing tree
|
| pomm (Estonian)
| Pommie, Pom
| bomb
|
| pomme (French)
| Pommie, Pom (see Alternate words for British)
| apple
|
pregnant (Romanian, Swedish)
prägnant (German)
| pregnant
| short but informative; remarkable, prominent
|
preservativo(Spanish)
prezervativ (Romanian)
Präservativ (German)
prezerwatywa (Polish)
préservatif (French) (1)
| preservative
| condom; also "preservative" in Spanish
|
| prick (Swedish)
| prick
| dot
|
propaganda (Spanish)
| propaganda
| advertising
|
prospect (Romanian)
Prospekt (German)
| prospect
| brochure, leaflet, prospectus
|
| prospekt (Swedish)
| prospect
| prospectus, document or brochure detailing an offer (usually from a travel agent)
|
| prospekt (Russian)
| prospect
| avenue
|
proces (Romanian)
proces (Polish)
process (Swedish)
Prozess (German)
| process
| trial (at court)/(in Swedish and German mainly used to denote process but also means trial)
|
| prune (French)
| prune
| plum
|
| queue (French)
| queue
| tail
|
| raisin (French)
| raisin
| grape
|
Rat (German)
Rathaus
| rat
rat house
| advice; council; councilor (U.S.), councillor (Br.)
town hall
|
| rat (Serbian)
| rat
| war
|
Rest (German)
rest (Swedish)
reste (French)
reszta (Polish)
resto (Spanish and Italian)
| rest
| remainder
|
rest (Estonian)
| rest
| crate, grid
|
| restar (Spanish)
| (to) rest
| to subtract
|
rester (French)
restare (Italian)
| (to) rest
| to stay; to remain
|
resumen (Spanish)
résumé (French)
| resume
| summary
|
roman (French, Romanian, Serbian and Swedish)
Roman (German)
| Roman
| novel
|
| saikou (Japanese)
| psycho
| the best
|
| sake (Japanese)
| sake
| Japanese rice wine
|
| sale (French)
| sale
| dirty
|
| sale (Italian)
| sale
| salt
|
| sale (Estonian)
| sale
| slender
|
| sale (Spanish)
| sale
| goes out
|
| salivit (Latin)
| salivate
| he/she/it jumped
|
| salvaje (Spanish)
| salvage
| savage
|
| sechs (German)
sex (Swedish)
| sex
| six
|
secte (French)
Sekte (German)
secta (Spanish)
sekta (Serbian)
| sect
| cult
|
| see (German)
| see
| sea
|
| Seite (German)
| site
| page
|
| Sekt (German)
| sect
| champagne, sparkling wine
|
| Sensation (German)
| sensation
| blowoff, scorcher
|
sensibel (German)
sensibile (Italian)
sensible (French and Spanish)
| sensible
| sensitive
|
| she (舌) (Mandarin)
| she
| tongue
|
| Sie, sie (German)
| see
| you (formal), she, they
|
| Sinn (German)
| sin
| sense, mind, meaning, acceptance, aesthesia, signification, tenor, appreciation
|
| sin (Serbian)
| sin
| son
|
| sin (Swedish)
| sin
| "your own"
|
Smoking (German)
smoking (Swedish)
esmoquín (Spanish)
| smoking
| dinner jacket (Br.), tuxedo (U.S.); but not smoking jacket
|
| son (Spanish)
| son
| (they) are; song
|
| son (French)
| son
| sound; bran; his/her (masculine thing possessed)
|
| soy (Spanish)
| soya, soybean
| (I) am
|
| stark (German and Swedish)
| stark
| strong
|
| step (Chumash)
| step
| flea
|
| stor (Swedish)
| store
| big, large
|
| stout (Dutch)
| stout
| naughty
|
| strafen (German)
| strafe
| punish
|
| sum (Latin)
| sum
| I am
|
Sveti, Sweti
(several Slavic languages, e.g.:)
Święty (Polish)
Sveti (Свети) (Bulgarian)
| sweaty
| Saint
|
simpatic (Romanian)
simpatico (Italian)
simpático (Spanish)
sympathique (French)
sympathisch (German)
sympatyczny (Polish)
sympatisk (Swedish)
| sympathetic
| likeable, friendly
|
| Tag (German)
| tag
| day
|
| teknologi (Swedish)
| technology
| technology as a discipline
|
| ten (Spanish)
| ten
| take! (imperative tense)
|
| Tier (German)
| tier
| animal
|
to (Polish)
to (Serbian)
| to (in writing)
| that
|
| trombone (French)
| trombone
| trombone, or paperclip
|
tu (Polish)
tu (Serbian)
| to (in reading)
| there
|
| t'oi (台) (Hakka)
| toy
| tower
|
| Unterstand (German)
| (to) understand
| shelter; dugout; bunker
|
| vi (Serbian)
| we (in reading)
| you
|
| wanken (German)
| (to) wank
| to sway; to succumb; to fall
|
| war (German)
| war
| was
|
| was (German)
| was
| what?
|
| Webseite (German)
| web site
| web page
|
| wer (German)
| where
| who
|
will (German)
vill (Swedish)
wil (Dutch)
| will (law)
| I/he/she/it wants
|
| vink (Swedish)
| wink
| hint, wave (salutation)
|
| winken (German)
| wink
| to wave
|
| wo (German)
| who, woe
| where
|
| vrist (Swedish)
| wrist
| ankle
|
| you (有) (Mandarin)
| you
| to have
|
