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List of false friends
See false cognate, false friend, list of words, list of reference tables
A
Examples of false friends between English and other languages
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
a (French)
|
a |
(he/she/it) has |
un, une |
a (Hungarian)
|
a |
the |
egy |
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) and (Norwegian)
aktualny (Polish)
aktuelan (Serbian)
attuale (Italian)
atual (Portuguese)
|
actual |
current |
real, verdadero/a, efectivo (Spanish)
reale, vero/a, effettivo (Italian)
virkelig, faktisk, reel (Norwegian)
|
adepte (French)
adept (Romanian)
adept (Polish)
adepto (Portuguese)
adepto (Spanish)
|
adept (proficient) |
follower |
experto, hábil (Spanish)
|
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)
avvertenza (Italian)
|
advertisement |
warning |
anuncio (Spanish)
pubblicità (Italian)
|
affluent (French)
afluent (Romanian)
afluente (Spanish)
affluente (Italian)
|
affluent (wealthy) |
tributary (of a river) [effluent] |
rico, adinerado (Spanish)
ricco, abbiente, facoltoso (Italian)
|
After (German)
|
after |
anus |
nach |
affettare (Italian)
|
affect |
slice |
fare effetto su, influenzare, influire |
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) |
alas (Finnish)
|
alas! |
down (direction) |
ikävä kyllä, valitettavasti |
ale (Finnish)
|
ale (pronounced [eil]) |
short for alennus "discount" in alennusmyynti "discount sale" |
ale-olut [eil olut] |
allegare (Italian)
|
(to) allege |
enclose, attach (as in documents) |
dichiarare, affermare, asserire |
alerte (French)
|
alert |
agile, alert |
also (German)
|
also |
thus |
auch |
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) |
ampua (Finnish)
|
to amputate
|
to shoot |
amputoida |
an (Latin)
|
an, or perhaps on when read |
or |
ananas (French, Finnish, Italian, Romanian, Hebrew, Norwegian and Serbian)
Ananas (German)
Ananás (Portuguese)
|
bananas
|
pineapple |
banaani (Finnish), Banane (German), banan (Norwegian)
|
ancien (French)
|
ancient |
can mean very old but often means just former, ex- |
anciano (Spanish)
anziano (Italian)
|
ancient |
very old, elderly person, can be ascribed to a person without negative connotation |
antiguo (Spanish)
antico (Italian)
|
ankara (Finnish)
|
Ankara
|
strict |
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 |
disculpa (Spanish)
scusa (Italian)
|
appoint (French)
|
appoint |
(extra) contribution or help |
apontar (Portuguese)
apuntar (Spanish)
|
appoint |
(to) aim; (to) note down; (to) button up; (to) point at |
nombrar (for "nominate" meaning) (Spanish)
|
arc (French and Romanian)
|
arc, ark |
bow (weapon), arc |
arm (German and Norwegian) (not used much in Norwegian)
|
arm (body part) |
poor |
arme (French)
arma (Spanish, Italian and Portuguese)
|
arm (body part) |
weapon |
brazo (Spanish)
braccio (Italian)
|
as (Spanish, Polish, Serbian and French)
|
ass / as |
ace |
asno / como (adverb) (Spanish)
|
asbestos (Greek)
|
asbestos
|
quicklime
|
asia (Finnish)
|
Asia
|
errand, issue, matter, an abstract "thing" |
Aasia |
ask (Swedish)
|
ask |
small box; ash (tree)
|
fråga |
aß (German)
|
ass
|
ate |
assortie (French)
|
assorted |
matched, matching |
assister (French)
asistir (Spanish) assistere (Italian)
|
assist |
attend (means both assist and attend in Italian and Spanish) |
atendi (Esperanto)
attendere (Italian)
attendre (French)
|
attend |
to wait for; to expect |
atender (Spanish)
|
attend (an event) |
to attend to, to serve, to take care of |
asistir, presentarse a (Spanish)
|
atomiki bomba (Greek)
|
atomic bomb
|
hand grenade
|
aura (Finnish)
|
aura
|
plough
|
sädekehä (a divine aura, halo) |
B
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
Bad (German)
|
bad |
bath |
schlecht (poor quality), böse (malicious) |
bald (German)
|
bald
|
soon |
barn (Swedish)
bairn (Scots)
|
barn
|
child, children |
beg (Manx)
|
beg; 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." |
werden |
beraten (German)
|
berate |
advise, discuss |
big (Dutch)
|
big |
piglet
|
bilion (Romanian, Serbian)
bilione (Italian)
biljon (Swedish)
Billion (German)
billion (French and Norwegian)
billón (Spanish)
|
billion |
'Trillion' (1012 or million million) - see billion.
|
miljard (Swedish), milliard (Norwegian)
|
blesser (French)
|
(to) bless
|
(to) injure |
bloc (Spanish)
Block (German)
blok (Serbian)
block (Swedish)
blokk (Norwegian)
|
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 (the emergency)
|
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 |
mutig (German)
coraggioso (Italian)
|
Brief (Dutch, German)
|
brief |
letter (mail) |
kurz |
brushing (French)
|
to brush |
a blow-dry (hairdresser's) |
brutaal (Dutch)
|
brutal |
bold |
Bulle (German)
|
bull |
cop |
Stier |
bulle (Swedish)
|
bull |
bun (pastry) |
ox |
C
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
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 |
Auto, Wagen |
car (Romanian)
|
car |
I carry |
car (Polish)
|
car |
tsar |
carácter (Spanish)
carattere (Italian)
caractère (French)
|
character |
temperament; can also mean "character" in the typographic meaning |
carpeta (Spanish)
|
carpet |
folder |
alfombra, alfombrilla |
casino (Italian)
|
casino
|
brothel
|
casinò |
casualmente (Spanish, Italian and Portuguese)
|
casually |
fortuitously |
despreocupadamente, con aire de indiferencia (Spanish)
con nonchalance, in modo disinvolto (Italian)
|
casualidad (Spanish)
casualità (Italian)
|
casualty |
fortuituousness, chance |
víctima, muerto, herido, baja, pérdida (Spanish)
vittima, morto, ferito, infortunato, perdita (Italian)
|
caution (French)
cauzione (Italian)
|
caution |
deposit, bail
|
attenzione, cautela (Italian)
|
chair (French)
|
chair |
flesh |
champignon (French), champiñón (Spanish)
|
champion |
mushroom or champignon |
chance (French)
|
chance |
luck |
chat (French)
|
chat (conversation) |
cat |
chef (French)
Chef (German)
szef (Polish)
šef (Serbian)
sjef (Norwegian)
|
chef |
boss (in French, occasionally means "cook" or "head cook") |
kokk (Norwegian)
|
cognato (Italian)
|
cognate |
brother-in-law |
coin (French)
|
coin |
corner |
come (Spanish)
|
come |
eat |
compromiso (Spanish)
|
compromise |
commitment |
constipado (Spanish)
|
constipated |
someone who has a cold
|
estreñido |
contesto (Italian)
|
contest |
context |
gara, concorso, competizione (as a noun) |
corne (French)
corno (Italian)
cuerno (Spanish)
|
corn |
horn |
mais, granturco (grain) (Italian)
maíz (grain) (Spanish)
|
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
|
fresco (Spanish and Italian)
|
D
E
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
egg (Swedish and Norwegian)
|
egg
|
edge of a cutting tool, such as knife edge |
ägg
(egg also means egg in Norwegian)
|
ego (Latin) |
ego
|
I |
eleven (Spanish)
|
eleven |
elevate! (imperative tense) |
once |
eleven (Hungarian) |
eleven |
the living |
tizenegy |
elev, eleven (Norwegian)
|
eleven |
student |
elleve |
empirer (French)
|
empire |
to become worse |
europé (Swedish)
|
Europe |
European person |
Europa |
angajat (Romanian)
engagerad (Swedish)
|
engaged |
considered or involved in something in Swedish; involved or employed in Romanian |
embarazada (Spanish)
|
embarrassed
|
pregnant
|
avergonzado/a |
intitolare (Italian)
|
entitle |
(to) title, call, give a name |
dare diritto a |
entrée (French)
|
entrée, main dish |
entrance, entry, or appetizer
|
equanimità (Italian)
|
equanimity |
impartiality |
equilibrio, serenità |
equivocare (Italian)
|
equivocate |
misunderstand |
raggirare (verbalmente) |
estate(Italian)
|
estate |
summer |
patrimonio |
etichetă (Romanian)
etichetta (Italian)
etiket (Dutch)
Etiketa (Serbian)
Etikett (German)
etikett (Norwegian)
etiqueta (Spanish)
étiquette (French)
etiketti (Finnish)
|
etiquette
|
label (can also mean etiquette in Finnish, French, Spanish or Serbian, but is mostly used as label)
|
etikette, skikk og bruk (Norwegian)
|
eventual (Romanian)
eventualmente (Spanish and Italian)
eventueel (Dutch)
eventuell (German, Norwegian and Swedish)
éventuellement (French)
|
eventually |
maybe, perhaps, possibly |
esile (Italian)
|
exile |
slender, thin; weak |
esilio (the state); esule, esiliato (the person) |
éxito (Spanish)
|
exit
|
success |
F
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
fabbrica (Italian)
fabrică (Romanian)
fábrica (Spanish)
fabriek (Dutch)
Fabrik (German)
fabrik (Swedish)
fabrikk (Norwegian)
fabrika (Serbian)
fabryka (Polish)
fabrique (French)
|
fabric
|
factory (compare 'fabricate') Possible origin due to large Victorian factories producing woven fabric.
|
tela, tejido (Spanish)
stoffa, tessuto (Italian)
stoff, tøy (Norwegian)
|
facilidad (Spanish)
facilité (French)
facilità (Italian)
|
facility |
ease |
fack (Swedish)
|
fuck |
deposit box |
knulla (verb), fan (swear word) |
fagotto (Italian)
fagot (Spanish)
Fagott (German)
fagotti (Finnish)
|
faggot
|
bassoon
|
Fahrt (German)
vaart (Dutch)
|
fart |
German: journey; speed; trip, excursion, voyage
Dutch: similar, but only used for ships, also canal
|
German: Furz, furzen |
fakkiutua (Finnish)
|
fuck [fak] |
"overspecialize" (from Swedish infack, a cognate to archaic English fac "trade, profession") |
vittu (swear word), naida (literal)
|
Falle (German)
|
fall |
trap |
familiär (German)
|
familiar |
familial |
familiares (Spanish)
|
familiar |
relatives, kin |
(adj.) conocido, familiar |
familiya (фамилия) (Russian)
|
family |
surname |
fan (Swedish)
faen (Norwegian)
|
fan |
fuck (swear word) |
vifte (e.g. electric fan) (Norwegian) |
far (French)
|
far |
a kind of dessert from Brittany
|
far (Romanian)
|
far |
lighthouse
|
far (Swedish and Norwegian)
|
far |
father |
fart (Swedish and Norwegian)
|
fart
|
speed |
fjert, fis (Norwegian)
|
fart (Polish)
|
fart
|
luck |
fast (German)
|
fast |
nearly, almost |
schnell |
fast (Swedish and Norwegian)
|
fast |
firm, steady (compare "steadfast") |
snabb (Swedish)
hurtig, rask, kvikk (Norwegian)
|
fat (Swedish and Norwegian)
|
fat |
(dinner) plate |
fet (Norwegian)
|
fat (發) (Cantonese)
|
fat |
to exhibit; to distribute; prosperity (used in conjunction with 財, as in gong hei fat choi) |
fattoria (Italian)
|
factory |
farm |
fabbrica |
file (French)
|
file |
line; queue (in computing) |
fin (Spanish)
|
fin |
end |
aleta |
final (Romanian)
|
finally (as in "at last") |
at the end (as in "finish") |
flint (Swedish)
|
flint
|
bald head
|
four (French)
|
four |
oven |
quatre |
for (Esperanto)
|
for |
away |
foresto (Esperanto)
|
forest
|
absence |
fort (French)
forte (Italian)
|
fort
|
strong (but can also mean fort) |
full (Swedish and Norwegian)
|
full |
drunk, pissed, wasted |
fylld (Swedish)
oppfylt (Norwegian)
|
G
H
I
J
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
juntta (Finnish)
|
junta [hunta] |
pile driver, ramming machine |
sotilasjuntta |
juu (Finnish)
|
you [juu] |
yeah |
sinä (singular), te (plural or polite) |
K
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
kau (German)
|
cow (phonetic false cognate) |
chew |
Kuh |
Kaution (German)
|
caution |
deposit, bail
|
Vorsicht |
kabinet (кабинет) (Russian)
|
cabinet |
office |
kamppi (Finnish)
|
camp |
tripping up
Kamppi (district in Helsinki)
|
leiri |
kanto (Finnish)
|
canto
|
treestump |
kedr (Кедр) (Russian)
|
cedar
|
Siberian Pine
|
ken (Finnish)
|
ken (Scottish dialect) |
who (archaic) |
tietää, tuntea |
kid (Swedish)
|
kid (baby goat, child)
|
fawn |
killa (Swedish)
kile (Norwegian)
|
kill, killer |
tickle, scratch |
döda, dödare (Swedish)
drepe, drapsmann (Norwegian)
|
killinki (Finnish)
|
killing |
farthing, coin (cf. "shilling")
|
tappo, tappaminen |
Kind (German)
|
kind |
child |
kind (Swedish)
|
kind |
cheek |
king (Estonian)
|
king |
shoe |
Kinn (German)
|
kin |
chin |
kinn (Norwegian)
|
kin |
cheek |
kis (Hungarian)
|
kiss |
small |
kissa (Finnish)
|
kiss |
cat |
suudella (verb), suudelma (noun) |
kissa (Swedish)
|
kiss |
urinate |
kyssa |
kit (Hungarian)
|
kit |
whom |
koi (Finnish)
|
coy /koi/ |
moth; dawn |
kaino |
kontroll (Swedish and Norwegian)
kontrollieren (German)
|
control |
check, examine |
korn (Swedish)
|
corn
|
barley
|
Kraft (German)
kraft (Swedish and Norwegian)
|
craft |
power, strength |
kreatur (Swedish)
|
creature |
cattle |
Kritik (German)
|
critic |
criticism, review |
Kritiker |
kropp (Swedish and Norwegian)
|
crop |
body, mathematical field
|
kut (Dutch)
|
cut
|
cunt (vulgar) |
kult (Norwegian)
|
cult
|
(to be) cool
|
sekt (kult also means cult in Norwegian)
|
kuula, koolaus (Finnish)
|
cool [kuul], cooling |
kuula: bullet; (of granules) pellet, ball
koolaus: studwork (in construction)
|
känni (Finnish)
|
canny /käni/ |
(the experience of) drunkenness |
kiero, taitava |
L
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
lack (Swedish), lakka (Finnish), lakk (Norwegian)
|
lack
|
lacquer
|
lakki (Finnish)
|
lack |
hat, cap (the clothing accessory) |
puute, -ttomuus/-ttömyys |
lammas (Finnish)
|
Lammas
|
sheep |
lappu (Finnish)
Lapp (numerous languages)
|
lap |
slip, tag, label, patch
("Lapp" or Finnish "lappalainen" is also a politically incorrect xenonym for the Sámi, suggesting they are bums in patched clothes.)
|
syli |
Last (German)
last (Swedish, Norwegian and Dutch)
lasti (Finnish)
|
last |
load, burden |
letzer /-e /-es (German)
sist (Swedish and Norwegian)
viimeinen, viimeise- (Finnish)
|
leg (Swedish and Norwegian)
|
leg |
ID, identification papers (short for "legitimation") |
ben |
librería (Spanish)
libreria (Italian)
|
library
|
bookstore
|
biblioteca (Spanish) and (Italian)
|
lime (French)
|
lime
|
file (the tool) |
Limo (German)
|
limo
|
soft drink, lemonade
|
limpa (Swedish)
|
limp |
loaf (bread), carton of cigarette packages |
limppa (Finnish)
|
limp |
short for "limonadi", lemonade |
rampa |
limppi (Finnish)
|
limp |
lump |
rampa |
List (German)
list (Swedish, Norwegian and Dutch)
|
list
|
cunning, artfulness, ruse |
Liste (German), lista (Swedish), liste (Norwegian)
|
list (лист) (Russian)
|
list |
leaf |
listiä (Finnish)
|
to list |
bump off, (of insects) kill |
listata |
lokki (Finnish)
|
lock |
seagull |
lukko |
lukki (Finnish)
|
luck |
spider |
onni |
lul (Dutch)
|
lull |
penis (vulgar) |
lump (Swedish language)
|
lump |
discarded fabric, slang for mandatory military service |
klump |
lujuria (Spanish)
lussuria (Italian)
luxure (French)
|
luxury |
lust |
Lust (German)
lust (Swedish)
|
lust |
wish, intent |
M
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
ma (מה) (Hebrew)
|
ma (mother) |
what? |
ma (Italian)
|
ma (mother) |
but |
maa (Finnish)
|
ma (mother) |
earth, ground |
äiti |
made (Finnish)
|
made |
burbot
|
teki, tehnyt (subject); tehtiin, tehty (object) |
magasin (French)
magazzino (Italian)
magazin (магазин) (Russian)
|
magazine |
store, shop; also warehouse in Italian |
rivista (Italian)
|
mai (مّي) (Arabic)
|
my (/mai/) |
water |
main (French)
|
main |
hand
|
maine (Finnish) |
Maine
|
reputation |
male (Italian)
|
male |
evil (n.), bad, wicked, evil (adj.) (false cognate)
|
maschio (n.); maschile (adj.) |
mama (Georgian)
|
mother
|
father
|
manner (Finnish)
|
manner |
continent |
tapa (noun) |
mansione (Italian)
|
mansion |
task |
magione, casa signorile, palazzo |
mare (Italian)
|
mare |
sea (false cognate)
|
giumenta, cavalla |
Marmelade (German)
|
marmalade
|
jam
|
mayim (מים) (Hebrew)
|
mime |
water |
me (Finnish and Estonian)
|
me /mii/ |
we
|
minua, minut (Finnish) |
me (麼) (Mandarin)
|
me (phonetic false cognate: may) |
interrogative marker |
me (Sumerian)
|
me (phonetic false cognate: may) |
(divine) aura |
mena (Swedish), meinen (German), mene (Norwegian)
|
mean |
have an opinion |
betyda (Swedish), bedeuten (German), bety, mene (Norwegian) |
meni (Finnish)
|
many (phonetic false cognate) |
went |
monta |
merci (French)
|
mercy
|
thank you |
meri (Finnish and Estonian)
|
merry |
sea |
mi (מי) (Hebrew)
|
me |
who? |
mi (Hungarian)
|
me |
what? |
mille (Italian and French)
Mille (German (slang))
mil (Spanish)
|
million, mile |
thousand; also "mile" in French |
mille (Finnish)
|
mill |
to what, to which |
mylly |
mis (Finnish)
|
miss |
colloquial form of "where?"
|
neiti (young woman); kaivata (wish to come back); mennä ohi (not hit) |
miséricorde (French)
misericordia (Italian and Spanish)
|
misery |
mercy, forgiveness |
desdicha, aflicción, sufrimiento, pena; estrechez, pobreza (Spanish)
infelicità, tormento, sofferenza, pena; indigenza, povertà (Italian
|
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
|
dinero (Spanish)
soldi, denaro (Italian)
argent (French)
|
morbido (Italian)
|
morbid |
soft, delicate |
morboso, malsano |
moroso (Spanish)
moroso (Italian)
|
morose |
in arrears; (noun, fam., N. Italy) boyfriend, fiancé |
cupo, imbronciato, scontroso (Italian)
hosco, taciturno, intratable (Spanish)
|
Mörder (German)
|
murder
|
murderer |
Mord |
mut (Finnish)
|
mutt |
colloquial for "me" (telic)
|
mopsi (polite); rakki, piski (rude) |
Mut (German)
|
mutt |
courage |
N
O
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
on (Polish)
on (Serbian)
|
on |
he |
on (Finnish)
|
on |
is |
-lla, -llä |
on (French)
|
on |
nondescript subject (cf. passive "one") |
sur |
once (Spanish)
|
once |
eleven
|
una vez |
open (Finnish)
|
open |
colloquial form of "of the teacher"
|
auki (adverb), avoin (adjective), avata (verb) |
or (French)
|
or
|
gold, now (introducing second proposition of a syllogism)
|
ou |
ostrica (Italian)
|
ostrich |
oyster |
struzzo |
ours (French)
|
ours |
a bear
|
P
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
paa (Finnish)
|
pa (father) |
Colloquial for "put" (literal) or "have sex" (slang)
|
isä (literal) or isi (childish) |
pain (French)
|
pain |
bread |
paine; paini; paino (Finnish)
|
pain |
pressure; wrestling; weight |
kipu |
pan (Spanish, Japanese)
|
pan |
bread |
sartén (kitchen cookware) |
pan (Polish)
|
pan |
sir, mister |
papa (Spanish)
|
papa (slang) (father)
|
potato (in American Spanish)
|
parente (Italian)
|
parent |
relative, member of kin |
genitore |
pateettinen (Finnish)
|
pathetic |
high-flown (i.e. full of pathos)
|
säälittävä |
patetic (Romanian)
pathétique (French)
|
pathetic |
emotional (in French, can also mean pathetic)
|
pathetisch (German)
|
pathetic |
solemn, lofty |
pavimento (Italian)
|
pavement |
floor |
pennen (German)
|
pen |
slang for "to sleep" |
perse (Finnish)
|
per se (Latinism) |
arse, ass |
sinänsä |
pétulant (French)
|
petulant |
playful |
pie (Spanish)
|
pie |
foot |
pii (Finnish)
|
π
|
silicon the element, also archaic "tooth"
|
pilli (Finnish)
|
pill |
drinking straw |
pilleri |
pimppi (Finnish)
|
pimp |
childish world for "female genitalia" |
parittaja, sutenööri |
pingouin (French)
|
penguin
|
auk
|
poke (Finnish)
|
poke /pouk/ |
slang for "bouncer, doorman"
also, a contraction of "pornografia"
|
tökätä, tökkiä |
polizia (Italian)
policía (Spanish)
|
policy |
police |
polizza (Italian)
póliza (Spanish)
|
pom (Romanian)
|
Pommie, Pom |
Fruit bearing tree |
pomm (Estonian)
pommi (Finnish)
|
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 and Italian)
prezervativ (Romanian)
Präservativ (German)
prezerwatywa (Polish)
préservatif (French) (1)
|
preservative
|
condom; also "preservative" in Spanish
|
conservante (Spanish and Italian)
|
pretendere (Italian)
pretender (Spanish)
|
pretend |
aspire to, expect; (to) court (Spanish) / demand, require, claim (Italian)
|
fingir, aparentar (Spanish)
fingere di essere, far finta di (Italian)
|
prick (Swedish)
prikk (Norwegian)
|
prick |
dot, period
|
propaganda (Spanish)
|
propaganda
|
advertising
|
prospecto (Spanish)
prospetto (Italian)
prospect (Romanian)
Prospekt (German)
|
prospect |
brochure, leaflet, prospectus
|
prospekt (Swedish and Norwegian)
|
prospect |
prospectus, document or brochure detailing an offer (usually from a travel agent) |
prospekt (проспект) (Russian)
|
prospect |
avenue |
proces (Romanian)
proces (Polish)
process (Swedish)
prosess (Norwegian)
Prozess (German)
|
process
|
trial (at court)/(in Swedish, Norwegian and German mainly used to denote process but also means trial)
|
prune (French)
|
prune |
plum
|
pus (Finnish)
|
pus |
onomatopoeia for a kiss
|
visva |
pussi (Finnish)
|
pussy |
bag |
for the genitals: emätin (biological), vittu (derogatory); for pussy cats: (kissi)mirri |
puu (Finnish)
|
poo (phonetic false cognate) |
tree, wood |
kakka (childish), paska (rude)
|
Q
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
queue (French)
|
queue |
tail
|
R
S
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
saikou (Japanese)
|
psycho
|
the best |
sake (Japanese)
|
sake |
Japanese rice wine |
sale (French)
|
sale
|
dirty |
sale (Italian)
|
sale |
salt |
vendita |
sale (Estonian)
|
sale |
slender |
sale (Spanish)
|
sale |
goes out |
venta |
Sale (Finnish)
|
sale |
nickname for Sauli |
alennusmyynti, ale |
sale (Polish)
|
sale |
rooms |
salivit (Latin)
|
salivate |
he/she/it jumped |
salvaje (Spanish)
|
salvage |
savage |
recuperar, salvar (v.) |
sanoma (Finnish)
|
son of a... (phonetic false cognate) |
message |
...n penikka |
scannare (Italian)
|
scan |
to skin |
fare scansione, scannerizzare / esaminare attentamente (as in examine minutely) |
scope (Italian)
|
scope |
brooms |
scopo, obiettivo (aim); gamma, raggio, estensione (range) |
sechs (German)
sex (Swedish)
seks (Norwegian)
|
sex |
six
|
see (Estonian)
|
see |
this, that |
-seksi, as a suffix (Finnish)
|
sexy |
The suffix -nen in translative, e.g. Räikkönen -> Räikköseksi
|
seksikäs |
secte (French)
Sekte (German)
secta (Spanish)
sekta (Serbian)
|
sect
|
cult, sect
|
See (German)
|
see |
See (m.): lake; See (f): sea |
sehen (v.) |
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
|
side (Finnish)
|
side [said] |
bandage, bond, tie, blindfold |
puoli |
Sie (German)
|
see |
you (formal), she, they |
sehen (v.) |
siin (spoken Finnish)
siin (Estonian)
|
seen |
there (also means "here" in Estonian) |
Finnish: nähnyt (subject), nähty (object) |
Sinn (German)
|
sin |
sense, mind, meaning, acceptance, aesthesia, signification, tenor, appreciation |
Sünde |
sin (Serbian)
|
sin |
son |
sin (Spanish)
|
sin |
without |
pecado |
sin (Swedish and Norwegian)
|
sin |
"one's own", genitive reflexive pronoun
|
synd (both languages) |
sin (spoken Finnish)
|
sin |
short for sinne, "into there" |
synti |
sissi (Finnish)
|
sissy |
soldier on a special mission; guerrilla
|
raukkis |
sit (spoken Finnish)
|
sit |
then |
istua |
slang (Swedish)
|
slang |
hose |
slang(språk), slang(ord) |
Slip (German)
slip (Italian)
|
slip (clothing) |
knickers, panties (It's a pseudo-anglicism.)
|
sottoveste (clothing) (Italian)
|
slut (Swedish)
slutt (Norwegian)
|
slut |
end, finish |
slampa (Swedish) |
Smoking (German)
smoking (Swedish, Norwegian and Italian)
esmoquín (Spanish)
|
smoking
|
dinner jacket (Br.), tuxedo (U.S.); but not smoking jacket (another case of pseudo-anglicism)
|
son (Spanish)
|
son |
(they) are; song |
hijo |
son (French)
|
son |
sound; bran; his/her (masculine thing possessed) |
fils |
soy (Spanish)
|
soya soybean
|
(I) am |
soja |
stark (German and Swedish)
|
stark |
strong |
step (Chumash)
|
step |
flea |
stor (Swedish, and Norwegian)
|
store |
big, large |
affär, butik (Swedish)
forretning, butikk (norwegian)
|
stout (Dutch)
|
stout |
naughty |
strafen (German)
|
strafe |
punish |
sum (Latin) |
sum
|
I am |
summa |
sun (spoken Finnish)
|
sun /san/ |
your |
aurinko |
Sveti, Sweti
(several Slavic languages, e.g.:)
Święty (Polish)
Sveti (Свети) (Bulgarian)
|
sweaty
|
Saint
|
simpatic (Romanian)
simpatico (Italian)
simpático (Spanish and Portuguese)
sympathique (French)
sympathisch (German)
sympatyczny (Polish)
sympatisk (Swedish and Norwegian)
|
sympathetic |
likeable, friendly |
medfølende (Norwegian) (also means sympathetic in Norwegian) |
T
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
Tag (German)
tag (Swedish)
|
tag
|
German: day
Swedish: take!
|
tikki, täkki, takki, tukki (Finnish)
|
tick [tik], tack [täk], tuck [tak] |
stitch, quilt, jacket, log, respectively |
talon (Finnish)
|
talon |
of the house |
(raatelu)kynsi |
talli (Finnish)
|
tally (n.) |
garage, stable |
luku (n.) |
tanner (Finnish)
|
tanner |
ground |
tarra (Finnish)
|
tar |
sticker |
terva |
tekniikka (Finnish)
|
technique ([tek'niik]) |
technology (as a discipline) |
teknologi (Swedish)
|
technology
|
technology as a discipline |
teknik |
teli (Finnish)
|
telly /teli/ |
floe, bogie |
telkkari |
ten (Spanish)
|
ten |
take! (imperative tense) |
diez |
ten (Polish)
|
ten |
this |
tie, tai (Finnish)
|
tie [tai] |
tie "road", tai "or" |
sitoa, solmia (verb); solmio (noun) |
Tier (German)
|
tier |
animal |
to (Polish)
to (Serbian)
|
to (in writing) |
that |
travel Norwegian
|
travel
|
busy |
reise |
trombone (French)
|
trombone
|
trombone, or paperclip
|
true (Norwegian)
|
true
|
threaten, menace
|
sann, ekte, rett |
tu (Polish)
tu (Serbian)
|
to (in pronunciation) |
there |
toi (spoken Finnish; "tuo" in standard language)
|
toy [toi]
|
that |
leikkikalu, lelu |
t'oi (台) (Hakka)
|
toy
|
tower
|
U
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
Unterstand (German)
|
(to) understand
|
shelter; dugout; bunker
|
verstehen |
V
W
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
wanken (German)
|
(to) wank |
to sway; to succumb; to stagger (esp. drunkenly) |
wichsen |
wanna (Polish)
Wanne (German)
|
contraction of "want to" |
bath (tub) |
war (German)
|
war
|
was |
Krieg |
was (German)
|
was |
what |
war |
Webseite (German)
|
web site |
web page |
wer (German)
|
where |
who |
wo |
Wett (German)
|
wet |
bet |
naß |
will (German)
vill (Swedish and Norwegian)
wil (Dutch)
|
will (law), will (vb.)
|
I/he/she/it wants |
winken (German)
|
wink |
to wave |
wo (German)
|
who, woe |
where |
wer; Sorg |
Y
Non-English word |
Which resembles English |
But actually means |
For an equivalent of the English word use |
you (有) (Mandarin)
|
you |
to have |
|
|
|
|
|
|