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False Friends

Writer's picture: Dagmar LohnesDagmar Lohnes

Updated: Apr 20, 2024

Grammatical "false friends" are words which are spelled the same or are very similar in two languages but have different meanings.

This post refers to my related Instagram posts were various false friends are listed.

Below you will also find the correct German translations for the English false friend.

This constitutes a selection only. There are many more.


The frist line is German / English

The second line is English / German


bekommen = to get

become = werden


die List = the ploy

the list = die Liste


bald = soon

bald = klatzköpfig


also = so (as in: "So ... let's start!")

also = auch


German / English:

  • so = like that (as in "Hier machen wir das so" = "Here we do it like that")

  • so = this + adjective (as in: "the fish was thiiis big" "der Fisch war soooo groß"); occasionally in English also "so": "The film was so bad that I had to leave."


English / German:

so = also ...


sympatisch = pleasant

sympathetic = mitfühlend


das Bad = the bathroom

bad = schlecht, böse


blenden = to blind (as in being blinded by a bright light; "die Sonne blendet mich")

to blend = vermischen


der Brand = the fire (arson or other large unintentional fire; not one in an open fire place, camping and such)

the brand = die Marke


der Brief = the letter

the brief = der Auftrag, das Mandat, die Instruktionen

brief / briefly = kurz (time)

the briefs = die Unterhosen


das Gift = the poison

the gift = das Geschenk


dezent = subtle

decent = anständig

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