Guide to False Friends

If you’ve ever tried to learn a second language, chances are that the teacher tried to warn you against false friends. The teacher wasn’t looking out for your social well-being! “False friends” is a linguistics term that refers to words that are spelled or pronounced the same way in two different languages but mean different things. More technically, they are known as bilingual homophones.

False friends can come about in many ways. They can be loanwords that have transformed from the original meaning, or they can be coincidentally similar words from two different root languages. Sometimes there are even terms that are created with some English elements that have nothing to do with the original English term. The similarities can cause confusion for many speakers learning a new language.

Examples of false friends:

• “Gift” in German means poison
• “Tasten” in German means to touch or feel
• “Stanza” in Italian means room
• “Bribe” in French means crumb
• “Embarazada” in Spanish means pregnant
• “Advertensia” in Spanish means warning
• “Realizar” in Spanish means carry out
• “Bizarro” in Spanish means brave

False friends can even exist in the same language between different dialects. For example, the American “pants” actually means underwear to a British person.

Although they may seem amusing, false friends can cause awkward errors in translation if the translator is not well-versed enough in both languages.  We always recommend having your translations done by a professional translator or translation agency on your behalf. Get a free quote today for your translation project.