Be careful: here are some words in different languages that sound similar but have completely different meanings

Language and culture experts advise people to pay attention to these tricky words that may sound similar, but have an entirely different meaning in another language.

The team at Busuu have identified which ‘false friends’ people should keep an eye out for when they’re learning a new language.

The term ‘false friends’ comes from the French expression ‘faux amis’ and it represents words that seem to have an obvious direct translation from your mother tongue, but that can get you into trouble or awkward situations instead.

These misunderstandings could result from the mixing of languages, particularly when languages have the same linguistic origin, like German and English, which borrow terms and cognates from each other’s languages.

A spokesperson from Busuu said: “When you’re learning a new language, it’s easy to trip up on these sneaky ‘false friends’ and say something that will sound funny or maybe even a bit inappropriate to the native speakers.

“It’s good to become familiar with the phrases and terms that frequently lead to misunderstandings in the language you’re learning.

“But don’t worry too much about making these mistakes – the worst thing that can happen is that you get something wrong, learn from your mistake, and end up with a funny story to tell your friends.”

Here are Busuu’s examples of ‘false friends’ to look out for:

Embarrassed or pregnant?

Imagine this, an English woman is on a date with a Spanish man, and to impress the guy she makes the effort of speaking to him in his native language. She then accidentally knocks over his wine glass and feels so ashamed and says: “Estoy embarazada”. Although she thinks she’s expressed her embarrassment, instead she’s just told the stunned guy that she’s pregnant.

You are what you eat

If you’re working in a restaurant and are serving a table of Germans, then don’t burst out laughing when they tell you: “I want to become a steak”. They’re not trying to joke around and are probably just confused, because in German the word ‘bekommen’ means ‘to get’.

Living like the royalty

You can get an entirely different impression of your Portuguese friend’s living situation when they describe their home to you during a conversation. They may make the mistake of calling their house a palace, because in Portuguese ‘palazzo’ means a building. So if they invite you to come and visit, don’t expect the royal treatment.

Rare or strange?

In English, people take it as a compliment when they’re told they’re rare or unique. However, if you tell that to your Spanish speaking friend, you may actually insult them. That is because in Spanish the word ‘raro/rara’ means strange. If you wish to tell them they’re one of a kind then you should instead use the word ‘especial’.

From compromise to commitment

Imagine a situation when two housemates are arguing over a minor issue. Ultimately one of them then turns to the other, who happens to be Portuguese, and says that they want to make a compromise. In Portuguese there is a similar word ‘compromisso’, which actually means commitment, so if the two housemates don’t clear the air, then their relationship may get a bit awkward.

Care home or asylum?

There is no need to be alarmed if your friend from Spain calls you and says they just visited their grandparents at the ‘asylum’; they have simply mixed up two false friends. ‘Asilo’ in Spanish means care home.

Complaining about grandchildren

Two longtime friends who first met in Germany are reuniting, although one of them speaks German somewhat rustily now. She tries to complain about her annoying ankle that is causing her pain, but when she sees the look on her friend’s face, she realises she’s said something entirely different. Turns out she’s actually complained about her grandchild, because that’s what ‘Enkel’ stands for in German.