False Friends in German and English: A journey over linguistic stumbling blocks

False Friends are words in different languages that sound or are spelled similarly but have different meanings. In German and English, there are many of these linguistic stumbling blocks that can often lead to misunderstandings. This article highlights some of the most common False Friends between German and English, analyzes their origins and explains why they lead to confusion. The aim is to sensitize language learners to these words and help them to communicate more precisely and confidently in the foreign language.

Anyone learning a new language will sooner or later come across so-called “False Friends” - words that sound or look similar in their own language and the foreign language, but sometimes have completely different meanings. There are many of these treacherous traps between German and English, which can lead to sometimes funny, sometimes embarrassing misunderstandings. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common “False Friends”, not only to have a little chuckle, but also to learn why these words are so deceptive.

A few Examples

Gift - No reason to be happy

Let’s start with a classic: the English word “gift” means “present” - often a pleasant surprise. But in German, “Gift” triggers less enthusiasm, because it stands for “poison” in English. An enticing offer such as “a free gift” could therefore have a slightly unsettling undertone in German. The confusion becomes even greater when you learn that the German word “Gift” originally comes from the Old High German “giban” (to give), which actually refers to a kind of gift. In ancient times, poison was used to describe something that was administered to someone to their detriment - and so the meaning has shifted.

brave - From courage to bravery

When your English teacher praises you and says you are “brave”, you are happy because you are considered brave and courageous. But in German, “brav” is used more to describe children who are obedient and well-behaved. Courage has little to do with it. This difference in meaning has developed over the centuries, although both words have the same Latin origin - “barbarus”, which originally meant “wild” and later became an adjective for bravery.

Chef - Who’s the boss here?

“My chef is very demanding” - sounds like a strict chef who demands the last pinch of salt? Not quite. Because while “chef” in English refers to the head of a kitchen, in German the “Chef” is simply the superior in an office or company. Both words are derived from the French “chef”, which means “leader”. However, in English, the meaning has become specialized to the kitchen, whereas in German, any boss - whether in the kitchen or not - can be a “chef”.

actual - actual or just “current”?

“Actual” almost sounds like “aktuell”, which leads us to the misconception that both words mean the same thing. But be careful: in English, “actual” means “real”, while the German “aktuell” describes something that is important right now, i.e. “current” in English. This shows how closely related the two languages are, and at the same time how easy it is to fall into the meaning trap.

Sympathetic - compassion or sympathy?

While in German “Sie war sehr sympathisch” is simply a nice compliment, in English, ‘She was very sympathetic’ means that someone is compassionate and understanding. In German, on the other hand, “sympathisch” describes someone who is friendly and pleasant, someone you feel attracted to. Here again we have two terms with a common origin in Greek (“sympathes” - “compassionate”), whose meanings have developed in different directions over time.

Handy - What sounds practical can be confusing

For German speakers, a “Handy” is the small communication device that they constantly hold in their hands - a smartphone. In English, on the other hand, “handy” refers to something that is practical or useful, but not a cell phone. The term “Handy” as a German synonym for “cell phone” was invented by marketing strategists at the end of the 1980s and has become firmly established in German usage. In English, however, you still have to say “mobile phone” or “cell phone”.

Billion - A billion misunderstandings

If you think the English word “billion” is the German word “Billion”, you are unfortunately wrong. While the English and Americans understand a “billion” to mean 1,000,000,000, a “Billion” in German is a thousand times larger, namely a trillion (1,000,000,000,000). Here, too, the reason lies in the etymology: the terms originate from the Latin number system, which was interpreted differently in different countries.

Conclusion: False Friends, real confusion

False Friends are more than just a linguistic trick - they often provide fascinating insights into the development of languages and their peculiarities. Although they can sometimes put us in embarrassing situations, they also help us to better understand the subtleties of a foreign language. The next time we’re happy about a “gift” or looking for our “chef” in the kitchen, we can think about these linguistic misunderstandings with a smile. Because in the world of False Friends lies not only confusion, but also plenty of humor.

Finally, we present an extensive list of False Friends. This list is also available in our False Friends app. In addition, the app offers a False Friends Quiz to practise and repeat the vocabulary.

An extensive list of False Friends in English and German.

English	meaning	German	meaning
action	Tat, Tätigkeit, Handlung, Action	Aktion	promotion, special offer, activity, campaign
actual	wirklich, tatsächlich	aktuell	topical, current, up-to-date
also	auch, ebenfalls	also	so, thus
ambulance	Krankenwagen, Rettungswagen	Ambulanz	clinic, A & E (accident and emergency department), ER (emergency room)
angel	Engel	Angel	fishing rod, hinge
ankle	Knöchel, Fußknöchel, Sprunggelenk	Enkel	grandchild
apart	auseinander, getrennt, separat	apart	fancy, distinctive
arm	Arm	arm	poor, lean
art	Kunst	Art	kind, sort, species
backside	Hinterteil, Hintern, Gesäß, Po	Rückseite	back, tail, rear side, rear page, flipside, back side
bad	böse, schlecht	Bad	bath, bathroom, spa
bald	glatzköpfig, kahl, abgefahren	bald	soon, shortly
bat	Fledermaus, Schlagstock	bat	prayed, asked
Beamer	BMW (Automarke)	Beamer	data projector, projector, video projector
become	werden	bekommen	receive, get
bench	Bank, Sitzbank, Arbeitsfläche	Bank	bank, bench
billion	Milliarde, 1000 Millionen	Billion	trillion
blame	jemandem die Schuld geben, vorwerfen	blamieren	disgrace oneself, make a fool of oneself
bloody steak	verdammtes Steak	blutiges Steak	rare steak
board	Tafel, Brett, Gremium, Ausschuss	Bord	shelf
bone	Knochen, Fischgräte	Bein	leg
boot	Stiefel, Gepäckraum, Balg, Manschette, Computerstart	Boot	boat
box	Schachtel, Kiste, Karton	Box (Lautsprecher)	speaker, loudspeaker, stall
brand	Marke, Warenzeichen, brandmarken, kennzeichnen	Brand	fire, blaze, burning
brave	mutig, tapfer	brav	good, well-behaved, honest
brief; briefs (pl.)	kurz, Auftrag, Schriftsatz; Unterhose, Slip	Brief	letter
briefcase	Aktenkoffer, Aktentasche, Mappe	Brieftasche	wallet
card	Karte, Visitenkarte, Karton	Landkarte	map
card	Karte, Visitenkarte, Karton	Speisekarte	menu
caution	Vorsicht, Achtung!, Warnung	Kaution	surety, bond, bail, security deposit
chef	Koch, Köchin	Chef	boss, head, director
chips	Pommes frites	Chips	crisps, chips
circle	Kreis	Zirkel	compasses, pair of compasses
college	Hochschule	Kollege	colleague
concern	Sorge, Belang, Anliegen, Angelegenheit	Konzern	consolidated companies, corporate group, affiliated group
concrete	Beton	konkret	specific
concurrence	Einverständnis, Mitwirkung, Gleichzeitigkeit	Konkurrenz	competition, competitor, rivalry
confession	Beichte, Geständnis	Konfession	denomination, religious denomination
consequent	folgend, folgerichtig	konsequent	consistent, forceful
conserve	erhalten, aufsparen, einsparen, sparen, bewahren	konservieren	preserve, conserve
control	Kontrolle, Herrschaft, Überwachung, Aufsicht, regulieren, herrschen, beherrschen, steuern	kontrollieren (überprüfen)	check, monitor, supervise
corn	Getreide, Mais	Korn	grain
curious	neugierig, gespannt	kurios	strange, quaint
dank	feucht, nasskalt	Dank	gratitude, thank, thanks
date	Datum, Termin, Verabredung, Dattel	Daten	data
decent	ordentlich, anständig	dezent	discreet, restrained, unobtrusive, modest
demented	demenzkrank, verrückt	dementiert	denied, repudiated, disclaimed
desert	Wüste, Einöde	Dessert	dessert, sweet
dick	Schwanz, Penis, Richard	dick	thick, fat, bulky, corpulent
direction	Richtung, Führung, Leitung	Direktion	board, management
dome	Kuppel	Dom	cathedral
dose	Dosis, Dosierung, dosieren	Dose	can, tin
eagle	Adler	Igel	hedgehog
engaged	verlobt, beschäftigt, verpflichtet, besetzt	engagiert	committed, dedicated
etiquette	Etikette, Anstandsregel	Etikett	label, tag
eventually	irgendwann, schließlich, endlich, schlussendlich	eventuell	possibly, potentially, maybe
evergreen	immergrüne Pflanze, Immergrün	Evergreen	oldie, golden oldie
fabric	Stoff, Gebilde, Tuch	Fabrik	factory, plant, site
failure	Misserfolg, Versagen, Versager, Scheitern, Defekt	Fehler	mistake, error, fault
familiar	bekannt, vertraut, geläufig, gewohnt	familiär	familial
famous	berühmt, bekannt, bedeutend	famos	splendid, excellent
fart	Furz, furzen	Fahrt	drive, ride, trip, journey
fast	schnell	fast	almost, nearly
fasten	befestigen, schließen, anheften, fixieren	Fasten	fasting, abrosia, abstinence
flatter	schmeicheln, flacher	flattern	flap, flutter, flit
flesh	Fleisch (Teil des Körpers)	Fleisch (zum Essen)	meat
for	für, als, denn	vor	in front of, before
fraction	Teil, Bruchteil, Anteil, Bruchzahl, Fraktion	Fraktion	parliamentary party, parliamentary group, faction, fraction[, group]
fund	Fonds	Fund	discovery, find
genial	angenehm, freundlich, gesellig, herzlich	genial	brilliant, ingenious
genie	Geist, Flaschengeist	Genie	genius, mastermind
gift	Geschenk	Gift	poison
glance	Blick, blicken	Glanz	gloss, shine, clarity
glut	Schwemme, Überschwemmung, Flut, Überfluss	Glut	embers, blaze
grab	greifen, fassen	Grab	grave, tomb
grab	greifen, fassen, Greifer, Handlauf	graben	dig, burrow, grub
gracious	gnädig, gütig, freundlich	graziös	graceful, balletic
ground	Boden, Erdboden, Gelände, Land, Grund, stranden, niederlegen	Grund	reason, cause, ground
guesthouse	Pension, Gästehaus	Gasthaus	inn, tavern, pub
guilty	schuldig	gültig	valid
gut	Darm	gut	good, well
gym	Fitnessstudio, Sporthalle, Turnhalle	Gymnasium	grammar school, secondary school
hall	Saal, Halle, Flur	Hall	echo, resonance
handy	handlich, praktisch	Handy	cellular phone, cell phone, mobile phone
happen	geschehen, passieren, ereignen	Happen	snack, bite
hardly	kaum	hart	hard, tough
hat	Hut	hat	has
hell	Hölle	hell	bright, light, clear
herd	Herde	Herd	cooker, stove
high school	Mittelschule, Sekundarschule	Hochschule	college, university
hose	Schlauch, Wasserschlauch	Hose	trousers, pants
housemaster	Heimleiter	Hausmeister	caretaker, janitor, concierge
housework	Hausarbeit	Hausaufgaben	homework
hut	Hütte, Baracke, Bude	Hut	hat
irritate	reizen, ärgern, verärgern, irritieren	irritieren	confuse, irritate
isolate	trennen, isolieren, abtrennen, absondern	isolieren, dämmen	insulate
jammer	Störsender[, Störsignalsender]	Jammer	misery, ruefulness
kind	Gattung, Art, Sorte	Kind	child
kipper	Räucherhering, Räucherfisch	Kipper	skip, tip truck, dumper
kitchen	Küche	Kittchen	prison
lack	Mangel, Fehlen	Lack	lacquer, varnish
lag	Verzögerung, Rückstand, Nachhinken, Zurückbleiben	lag	lied, reclined
lager	Lagerbier[, Lager Bier]	Lager	warehouse, storehouse, store, storage, depot
lake	See, Teich	Lake	brine, pickle, saltwater
lake	See, Teich	Lacke, Pfütze; Lacke, Lackfarben (pl.)	puddle, lacquers (pl.), varnishes (pl.)
last	letzter, letzte, letztes, zuletzt, dauern, andauern, reichen, anhalten	Last	burden, load
lecture	Vortrag, Vorlesung	Lektüre	reading
leg	Bein, Etappe	leg!	put!, lay!
lemon	Zitrone	Limone	lime
lied	lügen	Lied	song
links	Verknüpfungen, Verbindungen, Glieder	links	left
list	Liste, auflisten	List	artfulness, craftiness, fraud, trick
loan	Kredit, Darlehen	Lohn	wages, salary
local	Einheimischer, Einheimische, örtlich, heimisch, lokal	Lokal	pub, eatery[, restaurant]
lock	Schloss, Türschloss, schließen, abschließen	locken	bait, cozen, lure, entice
log (noun)	Holzklotz, Baumstamm, Holzscheit	log (lügen)	lied
lot	Grundstück, Los, Parzelle, Anteil	Lot	plumb
lunge	Longe, Sprung nach vorn, Ausfall beim Fechten	Lunge	lung
lurch	Überholen, Ruck	Lurch	amphibian
lyrics	Liedtext[, Songtext]	Lyrik	lyric poetry
made (past tense)	machte, stellte her, gemacht	Made	maggot, grub
map	Landkarte, Stadtplan, Karte, Plan	Mappe	folder, briefcase, portfolio
mark	Zeichen, Marke, Markierung, Mal, kennzeichnen	Mark	marrow
maul	Schlägel, schwerer Holzhammer, Dreikanter, beschädigen, misshandeln, durchprügeln	Maul	muzzle, mouth
meaning	Bedeutung, Sinn	Meinung	opinion, belief, view
menu	Speisekarte	Menü	set meal, set menu, menu
mice	Mäuse	Mais	corn, maize
mince	zerhacken, zerkleinern	Minze	mint
mist	Nebel, Dunst	Mist	dung, manure
mitten	Fäustling, Fausthandschuh	Mitte	middle, center, medium, mean
mob	Pöbel, Rotte, Gesindel, Mob, angreifen, schikanieren	Mobbing	bullying, harassment at work
mode	Modus, Verfahren, Art und Weise	Mode	fashion
most	am meisten, äußerst, höchst	Most	cider, must
must not	nicht dürfen[, darf nicht]	nicht müssen	not to have to[, don't have to]
mutter	murmeln, murren	Mutter	mother[, mom, mum]
not	nicht	Not	emergency, poverty, need, misery
note	Notiz, Anmerkung, Hinweis, notieren, aufschreiben, vermerken	Note	grade, mark, bill, bank note, musical note
notice	Ankündigung, Hinweis, Aushang, Meldung, bemergen, wahrnehmen, beachten	Notiz	note, memo
novel	Roman	Novelle	novella, short novel
objective	Ziel, Zielvorgabe, Richtwert	Objektiv	lens
old-timer	älterer Mensch[, alter Mann, alter Frau, alter Mensch, Alter, Alte]	Oldtimer	old car, classic car, vintage car
ordinary	gewöhnlich, normal, ordentlich, durchschnittlich	ordinär	vulgar, uncouth
overhear	mithören, belauschen	überhören	miss, ignore
oversee	betreuen, beaufsichtigen	übersehen	overlook, ignore
overtake	überholen	übernehmen	take over, adopt
pathetic	armselig, erbärmlich, jämmerlich	pathetisch	declamatory, dramatic, lofty
patron	Kunde, Gast, Klient, Stammkunde, Patron	Patrone	cartridge
personal	privat, persönlich, intim	Personal	personnel, staff, employees
pest	Schädling, Quälgeist, Plage	Pest	plague, black death
petroleum	Erdöl	Petroleum	paraffin, kerosene
photograph	Foto, Bild	Fotograf	photographer
physician	Arzt, Ärztin, Mediziner, Medizinerin	Physiker, Physikerin	physicist
pickle	Essiggurke, Lake, Pökel, pickeln, beizen, pökeln	Pickel	pimple, spot, zit
plate	Teller, Schild	Platte	board, tile, slab, platter, record
pregnant	schwanger, trächtig, bedeutungsvoll	prägnant	concise, succinct
preservative	Konservierungsstoff, Konservierungsmittel, Rostschutzmittel	Präservativ	condom, sheath
principal	hauptsächlich, erst, Chef, Direktor, Direktorin	prinzipiell	always, fundamental
probe	Untersuchung, Sondierung, prüfen, untersuchen, erforschen, Sonde (med.)	Probe	rehearsal, sample
procurer	Zuhälter, Zuhälterin, Vermittler, Vermittlerin	Prokurist, Prokuristin	company officer with statutory authority, general manager
prospect	Aussicht, Vorstellung, Perspektive	Prospekt	brochure, leaflet
provision	Versorgung, Vorkehrung, Maßnahme, Vorschrift, vorhalten	Provision	commission
public viewing	öffentliche Aufbahrung eines Leichnams	public viewing	public presentation, public performance, public show
qualm	Skrupel, Übelkeit, Zweifel, Gewissensbiss	Qualm	smoke, fumes, smolder, smoulder
rat	Ratte	Rat	advice, council
receipt	Entgegennahme, Erhalt, Quittung, Kassenzettel, Kassenbon	Rezept	recipe, prescription
recipe	Kochrezept	Rezept (Arzt)	prescription
rent	Miete, Pacht, mieten, pachten	Rente	pension, annuity
rind	Rinde, Schale	Rind	neat, cattle (pl.), beef
ring	Ring, Kreis, klingeln, anrufen, läuten	ringen	wrestle, struggle
rock	Felsen, Stein	Rock	skirt
roman	römisch, Römer, Römerin	Roman	novel
sage	Weise, Salbei	(ich) sage; Sage	(I) say; saga
same	gleich, derselbe, dieselbe, dasselbe	Same, Samen	seed
schmuck	armer Kerl, Depp, Schwachkopf	Schmuck	jewelry, jewellery
see	sehen, verstehen	See	lake
self-conscious	verlegen, befangen, gehemmt, bewusst	selbstbewusst	self-confident, self-reliant
sense	Sinn, Gefühl, Richtung, bemerken, fühlen, spüren	Sense	scythe
sensible	vernünftig, empfindbar, bewusst	sensibel	sensitive
serious	ernst, ernsthaft, gravierend	seriös	respectable, reputable
silicon	Silizium	Silikon	silicone, polysiloxane
sin	Sünde	Sinn	sense, meaning, mind
smoking	Rauchen, rauchend	Smoking	tuxedo, dinner jacket[, DJ]
snake	Schlange	Schnecke	snail, slug
sold	verkaufte	Sold	guerdon, soldier's salary
spanner	Schraubenschlüssel, Mutternschlüssel	Spanner	Peeping Tom
spare	übrig haben, erübrigen, schonen, verschonen, freilassen, übrig, frei, sparsam, überflüssig, überschüssig, spärlich	sparen	save, scrape
spend	ausgeben, verbringen	spenden	donate
spend	ausgeben, verbrauchen, verwenden, verbringen	spenden	donate, contribute, dispense
spot	Fleck, Stelle, Ort, bemerken, erkennen, entdecken	spotten	jeer, flout, gibe, mock
stadium	Stadion	Stadium	stage
staple	Heftklammer, Krampe, Öse, Grundnahrungsmittel, Hauptprodukt, verdrahten, zusammenheften, klammern	Stapel	stack, pile, mount, batch
stark	kahl	stark	strong
stern	Heck, ernst, strikt	Stern	star
still	noch, immer noch, weiterhin	still	quiet, silent
stock	Vorrat, Bestand, Aktie	Stock	cane, stick, floor
stool	Hocker	Stuhl (zum Sitzen)	chair, seat
stream	Strom, Bach, Fluss	Strom	electricity, power, current, river
stuff	Zeug, Sachen, Kram, Stoff, Material, füllen, stopfen, ausstopfen, vollstopfen	Stoff	material, solid, fabric
such	solch, derartig, so	such!	seek!, look for sth!, search!
suit	Anzug, Kostüm, passen, taugen, zusammenpassen	Suite	suite
sympathetic	mitfühlend, verständnisvoll	sympathisch	friendly, nice, pleasant, likeable
tablet	Tablette, Tafel, Notizblock	Tablett	tray
tachometer	Drehzahlmesser, Tourenzähler	Tachometer	speedometer, speedo
talk	Gespräch, Vortrag, reden, sprechen	Talk	talc
tee	Verzweigung, Markierung	Tee	tea
theme	Thema, Motiv, Leitmotiv, Thematik	Thema	subject, topic, issue, matter
toll	Läuten, Maut, Gebühr, Zoll	toll	fantastic, awesome, great
tot	kleines Kind, Knirps	tot	dead
tote	Tragetasche, transportieren, tragen	Tote	dead man, dead woman[, dead]
trillion	Billion	Trillion	quintillion
trunk	Baumstamm, Stamm, Gepäckraum, Koffer, Kofferraum	Trunk	drink, potion
undertaker	Leichenbestatter, Bestattungsinstitut	Unternehmer	entrepreneur, employer
vital	wesentlich, entscheidend, zentral, lebensnotwendig	vital	sappy, full of life
wall	Mauer, Wand	Wall	ridge, embankment, rampart
wand	Zauberstab, Stab	Wand	wall
wander	wandern, umherwandern, irren, streifen, herumirren	wandern	hike, tramp, walk
war	Krieg	war	was
warehouse	Lagerhaus, Lager, Großmarkt, Warenlager	Warenhaus	department store
welt	Strieme, Einfassung, prügeln, umbördeln	Welt	world, earth
where	wo	wer	who
while	Weile, als, während, obwohl	weil	because, as
whimper	winseln, wimmern	Wimper	eyelash, lash
wide	breit, weitreichend	weit (entfernt)	far, far away
will	Wille, werden, wollen, beabsichtigen	(Ich) will	(I) want, (I) would like
wink	zwinkern, blinzeln, Augenblick	winken	wave
wonder	sich fragen, sich wundern	sich wundern	be surprised, wonder[, surprised]