Language/Multiple-languages/Vocabulary/False-Friends
“False friends” is a phrase to describe two words or phrases that exist in several languages with similar spellings or pronunciations but different meanings.
There is a similar phrase: false cognates. Their difference is explained at
Types of false friends include:
- same origin, similar meanings, different parts of speech;
- same origin, one language has more meanings than the other (or one language has fewer meanings than the other);
- same origin, different meanings;
- different origin, different meanings.
In addition, some words in different languages have the same meaning, but their use is different from one language to the other.
About building a table for European languages, it is suggested to be etymology-oriented: a Latin or Greek word with its descendants in various languages. Because of the huge number of languages, it would be better to categorize them by the similarity of meanings. Also, ISO 639-3 codes can be used instead of language names to save space.
As you complete this lesson, consider broadening your horizons with these related topics: Glossary for translations, Transparent Words, Greetings Where are you going & Common words about computers and other devices.
Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese[edit | edit source]
Main article: https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/Language/Multiple-languages/Vocabulary/CJKV-False-Friends
English & French[edit | edit source]
See full article here: https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/Language/French/Vocabulary/False-Friends
actually - actuellement
ancient - ancien
apology - apologie
assist - assister
attend - attendre
blanket - blanquette
bless - blesser
bleesed - bleesé
bras - bras
brassiere - brasserie
button - bouton
cent - cent
character - caractère
chair - chair
chance - chance
change - change
coin - coin
college - collège
comprehensive - compréhensif
concourse - concours
deception - déception
envy - envie
eventually - éventuellement
excited - excité
grand - grand
grape - grappe
introduce - introduire
jolly - joli
journey - journée
library - librairie
location - location
luxurious - luxurieux
money - monnaie
pass - passer
pile - pile
prejudice - préjudice
preservative - préservatif
prune - prune
raisin - raisin
sensible - sensible
slip - slip
trainee - traînée
English & German[edit | edit source]
also - also
ambulance - Ambulanz
art - Art
bald - bald
beamer - Beamer
become - bekommen
blend - blenden
body bag - Bodybag
brand - Brand
cracker - Cracker
decent - dezent
dick - dick
direction - Direktion
dose - Dose
eventually - eventuell
evergreen - Evergreen
fast - fast
fraction - Fraktion
genie - Genie
gift - Gift
grab - graben
gross - groß
gymnasium - Gymnasium
handy - Handy
herd - Herd
hose - Hose
hut - Hut
irritate - irritieren
caution - Kaution
kind - Kind
confession - Konfession
concurrence - Konkurrenz
consequent - Konsequent
concern - Koncern
craft - Kraft
labor - Labor
leck - leck
last - last
lecture - lektüre
local - Lokal
lock - locken
lyrics - Lyrik
map - Mappe
meaning - Meinung
mess - Messe
mist - Mist
note - Note
notice - Notiz
objective - Objektiv
oldtimer - Oldtimer
ordinary - Ordinär
paragraph - Paragraph
pickle - Pickel
preservative - Präservativ
pregnant - Prägnant
probe - Probe
promotion - Promotion
prospect - Prospekt
provision - Provision
process - Prozess
public - Publikum
rat - Rat
rate - Rate
realise - realisieren
rent - Rente
receipt - Rezept
ring - Ringen
rock - Rock
Roman - Roman
schmuck - Schmuck
sect - Sekt
sensible - sensibel
serious - seriös
smoking - Smoking
spend - spenden
spot - spotten
staple - Stapel
stark - stark
stern - Stern
stock - Stock
sympathetic - sympathisch
tablet - Tablett
tag - Tag
taste - Taste
toll - toll
trunk - Trunk
warehouse - Warenhaus
wink - winken
More[edit | edit source]
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/False_Friends_of_the_Slavist
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Esperanto/Appendix/False_friends
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Spanish/Common_False_Cognates
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Dutch/Vocabulary/False_friends
AUTHOR[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
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