False Friends
False friends are words in two languages that look or sound alike but mean different things - a trap for anyone learning a new tongue. The German word "Gift" does not mean a present; it means poison. The Spanish "embarazada" does not mean embarrassed; it means pregnant.
Because the words seem familiar, they slip past our guard and produce some memorable mistakes. This collection groups common false friends by language - German, French, Spanish and Italian - with what each word really means and the English word it is so often confused with.
26 entries in this category
French
8Means a "bookshop", not a library. A library is une bibliotheque.
"J'ai achete ce roman a la librairie - I bought this novel at the bookshop."
Means "currently", not "actually". "Actually" is en fait.
"Actuellement, il habite a Paris - he currently lives in Paris."
Means "sensitive", not sensible or level-headed.
"Elle est tres sensible - she is very sensitive."
Means "bread", not hurt or suffering.
"Je voudrais du pain - I would like some bread."
Means a "corner", not a piece of money.
"Au coin de la rue - at the corner of the street."
Means "to wait for", not to attend. To attend is assister a.
"Je t'attends - I am waiting for you."
Means "injured" or "wounded", not blessed.
"Il a ete blesse dans l'accident - he was injured in the accident."
Means a "day" (its span), not a journey. A journey is un voyage.
"Bonne journee! - have a good day!"
German
8Means "poison", not a present. English "gift" is das Geschenk.
"Das Gift means poison - a dangerous word to get wrong."
Means a "mobile phone", not something useful or close to hand.
"Ich habe mein Handy vergessen - I forgot my mobile."
Means "soon", not hairless.
"Bis bald means "see you soon"."
Means a "skirt", not a stone or a music genre.
"Sie trug einen roten Rock - she wore a red skirt."
Means a "pension", not rent for a flat.
"Er geht in Rente - he is retiring."
Means the "boss", not a cook.
"Mein Chef ist im Urlaub - my boss is on holiday."
Means "manure" or "rubbish" (a mild curse), not light fog.
"Ach, Mist! is roughly "oh, darn!"."
Means "so" or "therefore", not "in addition".
"Also, gehen wir - so, let us go."
Italian
4Means "butter", not a donkey (that is the Spanish burro).
"Pane e burro - bread and butter."
Means a "room", not a photographic camera (that is la macchina fotografica).
"Una camera doppia - a double room."
Means "hot", not cold - a dangerous one to confuse.
"Il caffe e caldo - the coffee is hot."
Means a "condom", not a food preservative.
"A food additive is un conservante, not a preservativo."
Spanish
6Means "pregnant", not embarrassed. Embarrassed is avergonzado.
"Esta embarazada - she is pregnant."
Means "success", not an exit. An exit is la salida.
"La obra fue un gran exito - the play was a great success."
Means "having a cold", not constipated.
"Estoy constipado - I have a cold."
Means "clothes", not rope. Rope is la cuerda.
"Me compre ropa nueva - I bought new clothes."
Means a "folder", not a carpet. A carpet is la alfombra.
"Guarda los papeles en la carpeta - keep the papers in the folder."
Means "to bother" or "annoy", not to molest.
"No quiero molestar - I do not want to bother you."