10 English words that mean something else in other languages
Learning a new language offers the simple joy of finding words with completely different meanings in English. Linguistics calls these false friends. They occur when words from different languages look or sound similar but mean different things. These often happen by chance or through divergent etymological origins.
These words confuse learners and translators. They also provide interest for those who appreciate basic humor. Here are 10 English language false friends from around the world.
1. Fart
The English meaning is well known. In Danish, Norwegian and Swedish, fart means speed. The words for speed bump in these languages are fartbump, fartshump and farthinder.
2. Gift
In German, a gift is poison. In Scandinavian languages, gift can mean both poison and marriage. These meanings relate to the same root word, to give.
3. Crap
In Romanian, crap means carp. This is a common fish. English also has a fish called a crappie.
4. Brat
Brat means brother in Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, Croatian and Serbian. It is a fitting example for siblings everywhere.
5. Kiss
Kiss has a different meaning in Swedish. It means pee.
6. Preservative
In France, a préservatif is not for food. It means condom. Many European languages use variations of this word for the same purpose.
7. Lol
The internet slang lol is common globally. In Dutch, lol means fun.
8. Slut
Slut is a Swedish word meaning end. It rhymes with loot. It appears onscreen after a film. A slutstation is the last stop on a train route.
9. Barf
Barf means snow in Farsi, Hindi and Urdu.
Language is full of surprises, especially in the Nordic countries. For more linguistic curiosities, discover these Finnish sayings about sauna that perfectly capture the Finnish character.
In Russian “Mama dai, dai, dai” would sound exactly like English “die” and mean “give” :)
For the people who want to know what the picture means: ”Mommy, that, that, that…” ”Please”
Oh yeah, like “part” is estonian duck and “seaside” is a combination of two words that would mean something like “pig’s bond”. etc
In Danish ‘bøg’ is a beech tree, and ‘balle’ is a buttock. But in Swedish those two words mean ‘faggot’ and ‘ass’. So I’m sure a Swede or two will get a laugh from this pic. Bøgballe Sewer Service. ;)
https://www.gamereactor.se/media/forum/se/6169917_48.png
duck
duck ducl
more words lots of words
The other way around. Key in Lao and I believe Thai means Shit.
Also in German: “fast” means “Almost,” and “bald” means “soon”
In Polish “Mama dai, dai, dai” would sound exactly like English “die” and mean “give” ? – it is the same situation as Tatjana gave in Russian.
And also “fart” in Polish mean luck or lucky strike ;)
The Donald Duck comic “kaczy fart” sounds very funny to British ears.
In Romanian
Tip – guy
Nod – knot
Mare – sea (noun) and big (adjective)
Curve – whores (plural)
Cap – head
Gust – taste
Tort – birthday cake
Cub – cube
Bare – bars (plural)
Tare – strong or hard
Stup – hive
Bun – good (adjective)
To pee in Swedish is KISSA ! Kiss kiss means what you say when you want your cat to come. Iike pus pus in English.
Kissa means cat in Finnish!
Hmmm, kiss, pee and pussy!
I see the connections.
To pee in Swedish is KISSA. Not kiss ! Kiss is a substantive!
Substantive? Then it’s not “to pee”, but “urine”?
And what about Brad Pitt’s last name? Does it mean anything in Swedish?
I wish there were a book of these I could consult before traveling!
Dunst means bad odor, or sickening odor in Danish. Yet a famous screen actress (guess who) proudly goes by this last name name. And she’s been happy to be in Denmark: oops, ‘wonder if anybody ever told her what dunst means. . .
If you say you go to Skidmore (the college) this would evoke laughter in Denmark because skid means shit.
Skid can also mean shit in British English!
In estonian hell = tender and hunt = wolf. We have a pub named Hell Hunt in our capital city Tallinn. Pun intended :)
“Fart” means “luck” in Polish. There was a competition at some fast food restaurant. Clients scored points for buying hamburgers and then they could be randomly chosen to get a prize (but the more points you had, the more chances). The competition was called “Hamburger Fart”.
Brat is also brother in Bulgaria. In fact it is used very very often in informal conversations, meaning also “pal”.
In German the word ‘Mist’ means crap. I always wondered what Germans visiting the States thought when they saw Sierra Mist at stores or the dinner table… ha ha.
Yes, dick.
Die (spelled ‘Daj’) in Polish means ‘Give’
‘Most’ means ‘bridge’
And try to make a duck sound in Polish’ !(kwa kwa kwa [kva kva kva]) ;)
school meaning in enovative word lists
The Finnish phrase “katso sukkia” (look at the socks) sounds for an Italian… well let’s say something less innocent ?.
There is a magazine with the name “Modern dog”, in Swedish it means “the mother died”
Fuck in Bengali is a space in between (noun) , open (verb)
Baal , all hair in hindi but only pubic hair in Bengali, ( Chool is hair)
Vodaphone : Voda is vagina in Bengali, Hindi and in many other indian languages.
“Arse” means “burnt” (present feminine plural) in Italian.
I’m used to speak Italian to my kids and sometimes it’s normal to yell “dai, basta !” that could be translated “please, stop doing this/that”. Yet, after months I figure out that these words sounds exactly as “Die, bastard!” in English.
At the seaside in Big Sur California with a French friend and her kids, she was running around exclaiming, “le phoque!”
Which, in English, sounded like she was saying “LA F*CK!”
You had to have been there. Totally hysterical.