False friends (English and German)
Here you will find words which can be confusing for German speaking people. In the first column you find the German word, in the second the correct English translation, in the third the "false friend". In the last column you find the correct German translation of this word.
Have a look at True friends as well. There you'll find words which are the same in German and in English.
This list is not complete. If you know more words, send them by e-mail.
| English word | German translation | false friend | correct English translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| -- | -- | Barkeeper | bartender |
| -- | -- | Hometrainer | exercise bikes  |
| -- | -- | Schwarzarbeiter | clandestine worker |
| -- | -- | Showmaster | host |
| -- | -- | USB Stick | USB drive |
| actual | wirklich, tatsächlich | aktuell | topical, current |
| adequate | durchschnittlich, annehmber | adäquat |
suitable, appropriate |
| alley | Gasse, Gang | Allee | avenue |
| also | auch | also | so |
| ambulance | Krankenwagen | Ambulanz | BE: A & E (accident and emergency department) AE: ER (emergency room) |
| ankle | Fußknöchel | Enkel | grandchild |
| announcement | Ansage, Durchsage | Annonce | advertisement |
| apart | auseinander, einzeln | apart | fancy |
| arm | Arm | arm | poor |
| art | Kunst | Art | way, sort, kind |
| backside | Hinterteil | Rückseite | back |
| Beamer | BMW (Automarke) | Beamer | data projector computer projector |
| bench | Bank (zum Setzen) | bank | Bank (Geldinstitut) |
| billion | Milliarde | Billion | trillion billion  = true friend |
| biro | Kugelschreiber | Büro | office |
| board | Tafel | Bord | shelf |
| body | Körper | Body | bodysuit |
| bodybag | Leichensack | Bodybag | mono-strap backpack |
| box | Schachtel | Box (Lautsprecher) | (loud)speaker |
| brand | Marke | Brand | fire |
| brave | mutig | brav | good, well-behaved, honest |
| brief | kurz | Brief | letter |
| briefcase | Aktentasche | Brieftasche | wallet |
| bureau | Schreibtisch, Kommode |
Büro | office bureau = true friend(FBI = Federal Bureau of Investigation) |
| café | kleines Restaurant | Kaffee | coffee |
| callboy | Gehilfe des Souffleurs (Theater) oder: Hotelboy | Callboy | male prostitute |
| caution | Vorsicht | Kaution | bail, deposit |
| chef | Küchenchef | Chef | boss |
| chips |
Pommes | Chips* | crisps chips |
| circle | Kreis | pair of compasses | Zirkel |
| city | Großstadt | City | centre, center |
| clever | klug | clever (gerissen/ schlau) |
crafty |
| college | Hochschule | Kollege | colleague |
| concept | Begriff, Idee | Konzept | draft |
| concern | Belang, Anliegen, Angelegenheit | Konzern | (corporate) group affiliated group |
| concurrence | Einverständnis, Mitwirkung | Konkurrenz | competition |
| confession | Beichte, Geständnis | Konfession | denomination, religion |
| consequent | daraus folgend | konsequent | consistent |
| corn | Getreide, Mais |
Korn | grain |
| costume | Verkleidung | Kostüm (Mode) | suit |
| craft | Handwerk | Kraft | strength |
| critic | Kritiker | Kritik | criticism |
| curious | neugierig | kurios | strange |
| dates | Termine, Verabredungen; Datteln |
Daten (Computer) | data |
| decent | anständig | dezent | discreet, modest |
| defect | überlaufen (politisch), aber auch: der Defekt | defekt | defective, fault, out of order |
| delicate | empfindlich | delikat | delicious; exquisite |
| demented | wahnsinnig (demenzkrank) | dementiert | denied, refuted |
| desert | Wüste | Dessert | dessert |
| direction | Richtung | Direktion | management |
| dome | Kuppel | Dom | cathedral |
| dose | dosis | Dose | can, tin |
| eagle | Adler | Igel | hedgehog |
| engaged | verlobt; besetzt (Telefon, WC) | engagiert | committed |
| equal | gleich | egal | to be all the same, identical |
| etiquette | Etikette | Etikett | label, price tag |
| eventually | schließlich | eventuell | possible |
| evergreen | immergrüne Pflanze | Evergreen | oldie |
| fabric | Stoff | Fabrik | factory |
| failure | Mißerfolg, Versagen | Fehler | mistake |
| familiar | umgangssprachlich | familiär | family |
| famous | berühmt | famos | splendid |
| fantasy | Vorstellung, Einbildung | Fantasie (Kreativität) | imagination |
| fart | Furz | Fahrt | journey |
| fast | schnell | fast | almost |
| fever | Krankheit (z.B. Gelbfieber) | Fieber | temperature |
| flesh | Fleisch (als Teil des Körpers) | Fleisch (zum Essen) | meat |
| floor | Fußboden | Flur | hall |
| for | für, denn | vor | in front of before |
| for 10 years | seit 10 Jahren | seit 1996 | since 1996 |
| formula | Formel | Formular | form |
| fraction | Bruchteil, Bruchzahl | Fraktion | parliamentary party, group |
| genial | angenehm, froh | genial | brilliant |
| gift | Geschenk | Gift | poison |
| girdle | Hüfthalter | Gürtel | belt |
| glance | Blick | Glanz | glory, shine |
| ground | (Erd)boden, gemahlen | Grund | reason grounds (Motiv) |
| guesthouse | Pension | Gasthaus | restaurant, pub |
| guilty | schuldig | gültig | valid |
| gymnasium (gym) | Turnhalle | Gymnasium | grammar school, high school |
| handy | griffbereit, brauchbar, praktisch, nützlich | Handy | mobile mobile phone cellphone cellular phone |
| happen | geschehen, ereignen | Happen | snack |
| herd | Herde | Herd | cooker, stove |
| high-school | weiterführende Bildungseinrichtung (Sekundarstufe) | Hochschule | college, university |
| hose | Schlauch | Hose | trousers pants |
| housemaster | Heimleiter (Internat) | Hausmeister | caretaker, janitor |
| housework | Hausarbeit | Hausaufgaben | homework |
| human | menschlich (Charakterzug) | human (Eigenschaft des Menschseins) | humane |
| hut | Hütte | Hut | hat |
| I can | ich kann | ich kenne | I know |
| isolate | isoliert (z.B. einzeln) | isoliert (z.B. Fenster) | insulate |
| justice | Gerechtigkeit | Justiz | legal authorities |
| kitchen | Küche | Kittchen (Gefängsnis) | prison |
| lager | (Lager)bier | Lager | warehouse, storehouse, depot |
| lake | See | Lake | brine |
| learned, learnt | gelernt | gelehrt | scholary |
| lecture | Vortrag | Lektüre | reading |
| lemon | Zitrone | Limone | lime |
| list | Liste | List | trick |
| loan | Kredit, Darlehen | Lohn | wages |
| lyrics | Liedtext | Lyrik | poetry |
| manager | Filialleiter, Verwalter | Manager | chief executive officer (CEO) |
| map | Landkarte | Mappe (Hefter) | folder |
| mark | Note (Zensur) | Marke | brand |
| marmalade | spezielle Marmelade (aus Zitrusfrüchten) | Marmelade | jam |
| massive | riesig | massiv | solid |
| meaning | Bedeutung | Meinung | opinion |
| meet | treffen | Miete | rent |
| menu | Speisekarte | Menü | set meal |
| mess | Unordnung | Messe | fair; mass |
| mice | Mäuse | Mais | corn , maize |
| mist | leichter Nebel | Mist | dung (Stall) rubbish (Quatsch) |
| mundane | alltäglich, profan | mondän | fashionable, chic |
| murder | Mord | Mörder | murderer |
| musical box | Spieldose | Musikbox | juke-box |
| note | Notiz | Note (Zensur) | mark |
| notice | Schild, Beachtung, Benachrichtigung | Notiz | note |
| novel | Roman | Novelle | novella |
| objective | Ziel | Objektiv | lens |
| old-timer | Veteran | Oldtimer | classic car , old car, vintage car , veteran car (before 1916) |
| ordinary | gewöhnlich | ordinär | vulgar |
| packet | Packung, Schachtel | Paket | parcel |
| pathetic | lächerlich, albern, jämmerlich | pathetisch | emotional, dramatic, emotive |
| patron | Schirmherr, Stammkunde | Patrone | cartridge |
| personal | persönlich | Personal | personnel, staff |
| petroleum | Erdöl | Petroleum | paraffin, kerosene |
| photograph | Foto, Bild | Fotograf | photographer |
| physician | Arzt | Physiker | physicist |
| pregnant | schwanger | prägnant | concise |
| preservative | Konserveirungsmittel | Präservativ | condom |
| principal | hauptsächlich | prinzipiell | fundamental |
| probe | untersuchen, erforschen, Sonde (Medizin) | Probe | rehearsal, sample |
| process | Verfahren, Methode | Prozess (Gericht) | trial, legal proceedings |
| procurer | Zuhälter | Prokurist | attorney |
| programme (TV) | Sendung | Programm (TV) | channel |
| prospect | Aussicht | Prospekt | brochure, leaflet |
| protocol | Verhandlungsordnung, Protokoll (bei Hofe) | Protokoll (bei einer Besprechung) | minutes (of a meeting) |
| Protokoll (EDV) | log | ||
| provision | Versorgung, Vorkehrung | Provision | commission |
| psychic | übernatürlich, aber auch: psychisch | psychisch | phychological |
| public | Öffentlichkeit | Publikum | audience |
| rabbit | Hase | Rabatt | discount |
| rare steak | blutiges Steak | bloody steak | verdammtes Steak |
| rat | Ratte | Rat | advice |
| rate | Maß, Menge, Rendite | Rate | instalment |
| receipt recipe |
Quittung Kochrezept |
Rezept (Arzt) | prescription |
| reclamation | Rückforderung, Wiedergewinnung | Reklamation | complaint |
| rent | mieten | Rente | pension |
| rentable | mietbar | rentabel | profitable |
| rock | Stein, Fels | Rock | skirt |
| roman | römisch | Roman | novel |
| schmuck | Depp, Schwachkopf | Schmuck | jewelry jewellery |
| searcher | Suchender, Suchtrupp | Sucher (Kamera) | (view)finder |
| sect | Sekte, Konfession | Sekt | sparkling wine |
| self-conscious | verlegen | selbstbewusst | self-confident |
| sensible | vernünftig | sensibel | sensitive |
| serious | ernst | seriös | respectable |
| silicon | Silizium (chemisches Element, Hableiter) | silicone | Silikon (Polymerverbindung, Dichtungsmasse, Implantatmaterial) |
| sin | Sünde | Sinn | sense |
| slip | Unterkleid/Unterrock | Slip, Schlüpfer | panties |
| slipper | Pantoffel | ||
| smoking | Rauchen | Smoking | tuxedo, dinner jacket |
| snake | Schlange | Schnecke | snail, slug |
| spices | Gewürze | Speisen | dishes |
| spot | Fleck, Punkt | Spott (Werbe)spot |
ridicule, mockery commercial, advert |
| stadium | Stadion | Stadium | stage |
| still | (immer) noch | still | quiet |
| stock | Vorrat, Bestand | Stock (Etage) | floor |
| Stock (Holz) | stick | ||
| stool | Hocker | Stuhl | chair |
| stream | Bach, Flüsschen | Strom (Energie) Strom (Fluss) |
electricity river |
| strong | stark | streng | strict |
| study | Arbeitszimmer | Studium | studies |
| stuff | Zeug, Sachen | Stoff | material |
| suit | Anzug | Suite | suite |
| sympathetic | mitfühlend, verständnisvoll | sympathisch | nice, pleasant, likable |
| tablet | Tablette | Tablett | tray |
| theme | Motto | Thema | subject, topic |
| to be thick | dumm, blöd sein | dicke Freunde sein | to be close friends |
| to become | werden | bekommen | to get |
| to blame | jemanden die Schuld geben | (sich) blamieren | to make a fool of oneself |
| to conserve | einsparen | konservieren | to preserve |
| to control | regulieren, beherrschen, steuern | kontrollieren (überprüfen) | to check, to monitor |
| to fabricate | erfinden, ausdenken | fabrizieren | to manufacture, to produce |
| to irritate | jemanden verärgern | irritieren | to confuse |
| to mince | etwas hacken | Minze | mint |
| to mob | umringen, umlagern | mobben | to bully |
| to overhear | etwas zufällig mitbekommen | überhören | not to hear |
| to oversee | beaufsichtigen | übersehen | to overlook |
| to overtake | überholen | übernehmen | to take over |
| to prove | beweisen | prüfen | to check |
| to realise to realize |
einsehen, begreifen | realisieren | to implement, to liquidate |
| to see; sea | sehen; Meer | See | lake |
| to send | verschicken | senden (TV) | to broadcast |
| to spare | übrig haben, jmd. verschonen | sparen | to save |
| to spend | ausgeben (Geld) verbringen (Zeit) |
spenden | to donate |
| to wander | ziellos umherstreifen | wandern | to walk |
| to wink | zwinker | winken | to wave |
| to wonder | sich fragen | sich wundern | to be surprised |
| undertaker | Leichenbestatter | Unternehmer | entrepreneur, employer |
| vest | Unterhemd | Weste | waistcoat, cardigan |
| wall | Mauer, Wand | Wall | embankment, rampart |
| wand | Zauberstab | Wand | wall |
| warehouse | Lagerhaus | Warenhaus | department store |
| wellness | Wohlbefinden | Wellness hotel Wellness holiday |
spa health farm pampering weekend |
| when | wann | wenn | if (condition) when (time) |
| where | wo | wer | who |
| while | während | weil | because, as |
| who | wer | wo | where |
| wide | breit | weit (entfernt) | far |
| I will | ich werde | ich will | I want (I would like) |
* The German "Chips" are crisps in British English, in American English the German word for "Chips" is a true friend. Here are "Kartoffelchips" potato chips.
There are also false friends in spoken language, e.g.
| English word | German translation | false friend | correct English translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| missed mist |
Daneben! Nebel, Dunst |
Mist! | Damn! |
| fee | Gebühr Grundbesitz |
Vieh | livestock |
Thanks to Achim, Alexej, Annika, Anita, Bernhard, Brigitte, Carmen, Derya, Erwin, Felix, Frederik, Glenn & Helga, Heidrun, Joachin, Juergen, Kitty, Klaus, Manfred, Marianne, Michael, Mina, Mirko, Nina, Oliver, Paul, Pete, Prof. Dr. Braun, Robert, Susan, Susanne, Sylvia, Tom & Silke, Tilly, Torsten, Vanessa, Winfried, Wolf-Dietrich for the words.
