Examples of false cognates and false friends between English and other languages:
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| a (Hungarian) | a | the | egy |
| a (French) | a | has (third-person singular) | un(e) |
| à (French) | a | to, at, of, until | un(e) |
| abbé (French) | abbey | priest or abbot | abbaye |
| accuser (French) | accuse | can mean "to acknowledge" (accuser réception = acknowledge receipt), although it means "accuse" in most cases | |
|
aktualan, -na, -no (Croatian) |
actual | current |
réel(le), vrai(e), effectif/ve (French) |
|
adepte (French) |
adept (proficient) | follower |
expert(e), adroit, habile (French) |
| administré (French) | administered | citizen (as seen from an elected official; old-fashioned) user of a public administration (old-fashioned) | |
| ado (French) | ado (fuss) | short for adolescent | |
|
avertissement (French) |
advertisement | warning |
publicité, annonce (French) |
|
affluent (French) |
affluent (wealthy) | tributary (of a river) |
riche, (Cajun) argenté(e) (French) |
| After (German) | after | anus | nach |
| affettare (Italian) | affect | slice | fare effetto su, influenzare, influire |
| agencé (French) | agency | laid out or arranged | |
|
agent (French) |
agent | officer, police officer, agent | policier (French) |
| ail (French) | ail (sicken) | garlic | |
| aimer (French) | to aim | to love or to like | viser |
| air (Indonesian) | air | water | udara |
| aire (French) | air | area (mathematics) | air |
| alas (Finnish) | alas! | down (direction) | ikävä kyllä, valitettavasti |
| ale (Finnish) | ale (pronounced ) | short for alennus "discount" in alennusmyynti "discount sale" | olut |
| allegare (Italian) | (to) allege | enclose, attach (as in documents) | dichiarare, affermare, asserire |
| alerte (French) | alert | agile, alert | |
| also (German) | also | thus | auch |
| allure (French) | allure (the power to attract) | speed, bearing; allure | |
| alto (French) | alto (singer) | viola, alto (singer) | |
| alto (Italian, Portuguese and Spanish) | alto (singer) | high; in Spanish it can also mean "stop!" (imperative) | |
| ampua (Finnish) | to amputate | to shoot | amputoida |
| an (latin) | an, or perhaps on when read | or | |
| ananas (Bosnian, Croatian, Finnish, French, Hebrew, Italian, Romanian, and Serbian) Ananas (German) |
bananas | pineapple |
banane (Croatian) banaani (Finnish) banane (French) Banane (German) |
| ancien (French) | ancient | can mean very old but often means just former, ex- | |
|
anziano (Italian) |
ancient | very old, elderly person, can be ascribed to a person without negative connotation |
antico (Italian) |
| ânon (French) | anon (short for anonymous) | baby donkey | |
| anser (Latin) | answer | goose | |
| anus (Latin) | anus | old woman | |
|
apologie (French and Romanian) |
apology | praise, vindication |
excuse (French) |
| appoint (French) | appoint | (extra) contribution or help | |
|
apontar (Portuguese) |
appoint | (to) aim; (to) note down; (to) button up; (to) point at | nombrar (for "nominate" meaning) (Spanish) |
| arc (French and Romanian) | arc, ark | bow (weapon), arc, arch | |
| arm (German) | arm (body part) | poor (but it does also mean arm as in body-part) | arm |
|
arme (French) |
arm (body part) | weapon |
bras (French) |
| arsenik (Danish) | arsenic (element) | poisonous compound | arsenic trioxide (Danish) |
| as (Spanish, Polish, Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrian, Slovenian, Bulgarian, Serbian and French) | ass / as | ace | asno / como (adverb) (Spanish) |
| asbestos (Greek) | asbestos | quicklime | |
| ask (Swedish) | ask | small box; ash (tree) | fråga |
| Ass (German) | ass | ace | |
| aß (German) | ass | ate | |
| assortie (French) | assorted | matched, matching | |
|
assister (French) asistir (Spanish) assistere (Italian) |
assist | attend (means both assist and attend in Italian and Spanish) | |
|
atendi (Esperanto) |
attend | to wait for; to expect | |
| atender (Spanish) | attend (an event) | to attend to, to serve, to take care of | asistir, presentarse a (Spanish) |
| atomiki bomba (Greek) | atomic bomb | hand grenade | |
| aura (Finnish) | aura | plough |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| bad (Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish)
Bad (German) |
bad | bath | in the sense of poor quality: schlecht (German) slecht (Dutch) dårlig (Danish and Norwegian) dålig (Swedish) in the sense of malicious: böse (German) boos (Dutch) ondskabsfuld (Danish) elak (Swedish) |
| bald (German) | bald | soon | kahl |
| barn (Danish, Swedish)
bairn (Scots) |
barn | child, children | lade (Danish) |
| beg (Manx) | big | little | |
| bekommen (German) | become | obtain, receive, get (compare English "come by") (Note: There is a joke to this in German: a German comes into a British restaurant and waits half an hour for his food. Finally, he asks the waiter:"When shall I become my steak?" "I should hope never, sir." |
werden |
| beraten (German) | berate | advise, discuss | |
| big (Dutch) | big | piglet | |
| bilion (Romanian, Bosnian, Montenegrian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Serbian) bilijun (Croatian) |
billion | 'Trillion' (1012 or million million) - see billion. | milliard (Dansh)
miljard (Swedish) |
| blesser (French) | (to) bless | (to) injure | |
| bloc (Spanish) Block (German) |
block | can mean note pad | blokering (Danish) blokiranje (Croatian) |
| boleta (Spanish) | bullet | admission ticket | |
| bog (Danish) | bog | book | mose, sump |
| bog (Serbo-Croatian, Russian) | bog | god | tresetište (Serbo-Croatian) boloto (Russian) |
| bolond (Hungarian) | blonde | fool | szőke (Hungarian) |
| bond (French) | bond | leap, bound | |
| Boot (German) boot (Dutch) |
boot | boat | Stiefel (German) laars, bot (Dutch) |
| branche (Danish)
brancher (French) |
branch | Line of work (Danish)
(to) be plugged in, (to) be cool (colloq.) (French) |
afdeling (Danish) |
| brand (Danish, Swedish, Dutch) Brand (German) |
brand | fire (the emergency) | mærke (Danish) |
| bras (Danish) | bra(ssiere)s | junk, trash (as in low quality) | [brysteholder (old) | BH (each letter pronounced separately)] |
| bras (French) | bra(ssiere)s | arm (the body part) | |
| brat (брат) (Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Serbian and Macedonian) brat (Croatian, Slovenian, Bosnian, Montenegrian) |
brat | brother | негодник, паршивец (child) (Russian) derište (deh-rish-teh) (Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian, Montenegrian) |
| brav (German) bravo/a (Italian) |
brave | well-behaved | mutig (German) |
| Brief (Dutch, German) | brief | letter (mail) | kurz |
| brushing (French) | to brush | a blow-dry (hairdresser's) | |
| brutaal (Dutch) | brutal | bold |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| calzón / calzones (Spanish), calzone / calzoni (Italian), caleçon (French) | calzone | underwear (of course calzone comes from Italian, but in that language the main use of the word is for underwear) | |
| canto (Latin, Italian and Spanish) | canto | I sing; in Spanish, can also mean pebble, edge, or piece | |
| car (French) | car | bus or coach; because | auto, voiture |
| Car (German) | car | charter bus, motor coach | Auto, Wagen |
| car (Romanian) | car | I carry | |
| car (Polish) | car | tsar | |
| carácter (Spanish) carattere (Italian) |
character | temperament; can also mean "character" in the typographic meaning | |
| carpeta (Spanish) | carpet | folder | alfombra, alfombrilla |
| casino (Italian) | casino | brothel | casinò |
| casquette (French) | casket | cap | cercueil |
| casualmente (Spanish, Italian and Portuguese) | casually | fortuitously | despreocupadamente, con aire de indiferencia (Spanish) con nonchalance, in modo disinvolto Italian |
| caution (French) cauzione (Italian) |
caution | deposit, bail | attenzione, cautela (Italian) Vorsicht (German) |
| cave (French) | cave | hollow; cellar | cellier |
| chair (French) | chair | flesh | chaise |
| champiñón (Spanish)
champignon (French) |
champion | mushroom (Spanish), "Paris mushroom" (French) | |
| chance (French) | chance | luck (can mean chance, but is used for luck as often) | |
| chat (French) | chat (conversation) | cat | |
| chef (French) Chef (German) |
chef | boss (in French, occasionally means "cook" or "head cook") | |
| cognato (Italian) | cognate | brother-in-law | |
| coin (French) | coin | corner | pièce |
| compromiso (Spanish) | compromise | commitment | |
| conductor (Spanish) conducteur (French) |
conductor | driver (or conductor in the sense "conductor of electricity, heat etc.") | collector of fares on public transport: receveur (French) revisor (Spanish) director of an orchestra: chef d'orchestre (French) director (Spanish) |
| constipado (Spanish) | constipated | someone who has a cold | estreñido |
| contesto (Italian) | contest | context | gara, concorso, competizione (as a noun) |
| coquille (French) | cockle | scallop | coque |
| corne (French) corno (Italian) |
corn | horn | mais, granturco (grain) (Italian) maíz (grain) (Spanish) |
| crayon (French) creion (Romanian) |
crayon | pencil | crayon de cire ((French) |
| culte (French) kult (Polish) |
cult | worship (as in lieu de culte = house of worship). In Spanish it can also mean "educated". | |
| culo (Spanish and Italian) | cool | buttocks, arse | fresco (Spanish and Italian) |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| damit (German) | damn it | for this reason | verdammt (German) |
| demandar (Spanish) | to demand | to sue | |
| demander (French) domandare (Italian) |
to demand | to ask or request | |
| die (German) | (to) die | the | sterben |
| dick (German) | dick (slang for the penis or a detective) also short for Richard, e.g. in idiom "every Tom, Dick and Harry" | fat (adjective only), thick | |
| diverse (Swedish and German) | diverse | various | mångsidig (Swedish) |
| diverso (Italian) | diverse | different | |
| divisa (Italian) | devise | uniform (as in distinctive clothing) | |
| dag (דג) (Hebrew) | dog | fish | |
| Deutsch (German) | dutch | german | Holländisch |
| Dom (German) | dome | cathedral | Kuppel |
| dom (Croatian, Bosnian, Montenegrian, Serbian, Polish) | dome | home | kopuła (Polish) kupola (Montenegrian, Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovenian, Macedonian) |
| dungo (Esperanto) | dung | employment | |
| douche (Dutch, French) dusch (Swedish) |
douche | shower (bath) | |
| drei (German) | dry | three | trocken |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| egg (Swedish) | egg | edge of a cutting tool, such as knife edge | ägg |
| ego (Latin) | ego | I | |
| eleven (Spanish) | eleven | elevate! (imperative tense) | once |
| eleven (Hungarian) | eleven | the living | tizenegy |
| embarazada (Spanish) | embarrassed | pregnant | |
| embarazada (Spanish) | embarrassed | pregnant | |
| angajat (Romanian) engagerad (Swedish) |
engaged | considered or involved in something in Swedish; involved or employed in Romanian | |
| entrée (French) | entrée, main dish | entrance, entry, or appetizer | |
| etichetă (Romanian) etichetta (Italian) |
etiquette | label (can also mean etiquette in Finnish, French, Spanish, Bosnian, Macedonian, Montenegrian or Serbian, but is mostly used as label) | |
| europé (Swedish) | Europe | European person | Europa |
| eventual (Romanian) eventualmente (Interlingua, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish) |
eventually | maybe, perhaps, possibly | |
| éxito (Spanish) | exit | success |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| fabbrica (Italian) fabrică (Romanian) |
fabric | factory (compare 'fabricate') Possible origin due to large Victorian factories producing woven fabric. | tela, tejido (Spanish stoffa, tessuto Italian) |
| facilidad (Spanish) facilité (French) |
facility | ease | |
| fagotto (Italian) fagot (Spanish) |
faggot | bassoon | |
| Fahrt (German) vaart (Dutch) |
fart | German: journey; speed; trip, excursion, voyage Dutch: similar, but only used for ships, also canal |
Blähung, Furz (German) |
| fakkiutua (Finnish) | fuck | "overspecialize" (from Swedish infack, a cognate to archaic English fac "trade, profession") | vittu (swear word), naida (literal) |
| familiär (German) | familiar | familial | |
| familiares (Spanish) | familiar | relatives, kin | (adj.) conocido, familiar |
| familiya (фамилия) (Russian) | family | surname | |
| far (French) | far | a kind of dessert from Brittany | |
| far (Romanian) | far | lighthouse | |
| far (Swedish) | far | father | |
| fart (Swedish) | fart | speed | |
| fart (Polish) | fart | luck | |
| fast (German) | fast | nearly, almost | schnell |
| fast (Swedish) | fast | firm, steady (compare "steadfast") | snabb |
| fat (Swedish) | fat | (dinner) plate | |
| fat (發) (Cantonese) | fat | to exhibit; to distribute; prosperity (used in conjunction with 財, as in gong hei fat choi) | |
| fattoria (Italian) | factory | farm | fabbrica |
| fila (Spanish) | file (chess) | rank | columna |
| file (French) | file | line; queue (in computing) | fichier (set of papers), lime (tool), colonne (in chess) |
| final (Romanian) | finally (as in "at last") | at the end (as in "finish") | |
| fing (Hungarian) | finger | fart | ujj |
| flint (Swedish) | flint | bald head | |
| for (Esperanto) | for | away | |
| foresto (Esperanto) | forest | absence | |
| fort (French) forte (Italian) |
fort | strong (but can also mean fort) | |
| four (French) | four | oven | quatre |
| fyr (Danish) | fir | pine | ædelgran |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| gabinetto (Italian) | cabinet | toilet (but it can also mean "cabinet" in the political sense) | armadio, pensile |
| garder (French) | guard | to keep, e.g., gardez froid=keep cool | |
| Gift (German) gif (Dutch) |
gift | poison | Geschenk (German) |
| gift (Swedish) | gift | married, poison | gåva |
| gimnaziu (Romanian) Gymnasium (German, Dutch and Swedish) |
gym(nasium) | high(er) school, grammar school (see Secondary education) | Turn-, Sporthalle (German) |
| glass (Swedish) | glass | icecream | glas |
| Glut (German) | glut | heat; glow; embers | |
| go (Japanese) | to go | Chinese board game | |
| greippi (Finnish) | grape | grapefruit | viinirypäle |
| gren (Swedish) | green | branch | grön |
| grippe (French) Grippe (German) |
grip (hold) or gripe (complaint) | influenza | |
| groin (French) | groin | snout | |
| grosería (Spanish) | grocery | profanity, bad word | |
| gun (pronounced as gwun in Chinese) | gun | a Chinese weapon |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handy (German) | handy | mobile phone, cell phone ("Handy" is not really German, it is artificial (pseudo-English) from English and German "hand", but most Germans think that the word is English). It's a pseudo-anglicism. | nutzlich |
| happi (Finnish) | happy | Oxygen | |
| hat (Hungarian) | hat | six | |
| hat (German) | hat | has - As in: He has a cold; She has a dog; It has a name | Hut |
| he (Finnish) | he | they (plural of he/she) | hän |
| hell (German) | hell | bright | Hölle |
| herb (German) | herb | harsh | Kraut, pl. Kräuter |
| herb (Polish) | herb | coat of arms | zioło |
| hiiri (Finnish) | hire | mouse | palkata |
| hintti (Finnish) | hint | a homosexual man | vinkki |
| hiy (היא) (Hebrew) | he | she | |
| hoek (Dutch; pronounced like English hook) | hook | corner | haak |
| home (Finnish) | home (pronounced IPA , confusable in spelling only — Finnish word pronounced like IPA (hoh-meh) | mold | koti |
| horno (Spanish) | horn | oven | cuerno |
| Hose (German) | hose | (pair of) trousers | (Garten) -schlauch |
| host (Czech) | host | guest | |
| hot (Swedish) | hot | threat | |
| Hut (German) | hut | hat | Hütte |
| huta (Polish) |
hut | steel works | |
| huw (Hebrew) | who | he |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ai (Finnish) | I /ai/ | oh | minä |
| i (Latin) | I | go! (imperative) | ego |
| i (Swedish) | I | in | jag |
| i (Polish) | I | and | ja |
| Igel (German) | eagle | hedgehog | Adler |
| igel (Swedish) | eagle | leech | örn |
| incidente (Italian) | incident | accident, crash (car wreck) | episodio, vicenda |
| is (Norwegian and Danish) | is | ice cream, ice | er |
| is (Latin) | is | you go; he (personal pronoun) | est |
| is (Swedish) | is | ice | är |
| Island (Swedish, Danish, Norwegian and German) Islande (French) |
island | Iceland | ö (Swedish) ø (Danish) |
| it (Latin) | it | he/she/it goes | id |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| juntta (Finnish) | junta | pile driver, ramming machine | |
| juu (Finnish) | you | yeah |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaution (German) | caution | deposit, bail | Vorsicht | |
| kabinet (кабинет) (Russian) | cabinet | office | ||
| kamppi (Finnish) | camp | tripping up | leiri | |
| kanto (Finnish) | canto | treestump | ||
| kar (Albanian) | car | dick | makinë, veturë, automobil | |
| kedr (Кедр) (Russian) | cedar | Siberian Pine | ||
| kid (Swedish) | kid (baby goat, child) | fawn | ||
| killa (Swedish) | kill, killer | tickle, scratch | döda, dödare | |
| killinki (Finnish) | killing | farthing, coin | tappo, tappaminen | |
| Kind (German) | kind | child | ||
| kind (Swedish) | kind | cheek | ||
| Kinn (German) | kin | chin | ||
| kissa (Finnish) | kiss | cat | suudella (verb), suudelma (noun) | |
| klozeto (Esperanto) | closet | water closet | kamero | |
| koi (Finnish) | coy /koi/ | dawn | ||
| kontroll (Swedish) kontrollieren (German) |
control | check, examine | ||
| korn (Swedish) | corn | barley | ||
| Kraft (German) kraft (Swedish) |
craft | power, strength | ||
| kreatur (Swedish) | creature | cattle | ||
| Kritik (German) | critic | criticism, review | ||
| kropp (Swedish) | crop | body, mathematical field | ||
| kut (Dutch) | cut | cunt (vulgar) | ||
| kuula, koolaus (Finnish) | cool , cooling | kuula: bullet; (of granules) pellet, ball koolaus: studwork (in construction) | ||
| känni | canny /käni/ | (the experience of) drunkenness |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| lack (Swedish), lakka (Finnish) | lack | lacquer | |
| lakki (Finnish) | lack | lakki: hat, cap (the clothing accessory) | puute |
| lammas (Finnish) | Lammas | sheep | |
| lappu (Finnish) | lap | slip, tag, label, patch |
syli |
| Last (German) last (Swedish, Dutch) |
last | load, burden | letze (German), sist (Swedish) |
| leg (Swedish) | leg | ID, identification papers (short for "legitimation") | ben |
| librairie (French) librería (Spanish) |
library | bookstore | biblioteca (Spanish and Italian) bibliothèque (French) |
| lime (French) | lime | file (the tool) | citron vert (fruit), chaux (mineral), tilleul (tree) |
| Limo (German) | limo | soft drink, lemonade | |
| limpa (Swedish) | limp | loaf (bread), carton of cigarette packages | |
| limppa (Finnish) | limp | short for "limonadi", lemonade | rampa |
| limppi (Finnish) | limp | lump | rampa |
| lipp (Estonian) | lip | flag, chess rook | huul |
| List (German) list (Swedish, Dutch) |
list | cunning, artfulness, ruse | Liste (German) lista (Swedish) lijst (Dutch) |
| list (лист) (Russian) | list | leaf | |
| listiä (Finnish) | to list | bump off, (of insects) kill | listata |
| lokki (Finnish) | lock | seagull | lukko |
| lukki (Finnish) | luck | spider | onni |
| lul (Dutch) | lull | penis (vulgar) | |
| lump (Swedish) | lump | discarded fabric, slang for mandatory military service | klump |
| lujuria (Spanish) lussuria (Italian) |
luxury | lust | |
| Lust (German) lust (Swedish) |
lust | wish, intent | Begierde (German) |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ma (מה) (Hebrew) | ma (mother) | what? | ima (אמא) |
| maa (Finnish) | ma (mother) | earth, ground | äiti |
| magasin (French) magazzino (Italian) |
magazine | store, shop; also warehouse in Italian | rivista (Italian) |
| mai (مّي) (Arabic) | my (/mai/) | water | |
| main (French) | main | hand | principal (m.), principale (f.) |
| malard (French) | mallard | drake | canard colvert |
| male (Italian) | male | evil (n.), bad, wicked, evil (adj.) | maschio (n.); maschile (adj.) |
| mama (მამა) (Georgian) | mother | father | deda (დედა) |
| Marmelade(German) | marmalade | jam | |
| Marone (German) | maroon | chestnut | |
| mayim (מים) (Hebrew) | mime | water | Pantomimai (פנטומימאי) |
| me (Finnish and Estonian) | me /mii/ | we | minua, minut |
| me (麼) (Mandarin) | me (phonetic false cognate: may) | interrogative marker | |
| me (Sumerian) | me (phonetic false cognate: may) | (divine) aura | |
| merci (French) | mercy | thank you | |
| mi (מי) (Hebrew) | me | who? | Oti (אותי) |
| mille (Italian and French) Mille (German (slang)) |
million, mile | thousand; also "mile" in French | |
| mille (Finnish) | mill | to what, to which | mylly |
| miséricorde (French) misericordia (Italian and Spanish) |
misery | mercy, forgiveness | |
| Mist (German) | mist | manure, droppings | |
| miting (Serbian) | meeting | political demonstration | |
| Mode (German) mode (Swedish, Dutch) |
mode | fashion, haute couture | |
| moneda (Spanish) moneta (Italian) monnaie (French) |
money | currency; also "coin" in Spanish and Italian and "change" (returned from a purchase) in French |
dinero (Spanish) soldi, denaro (Italian) |
| Mörder (German) | murder | murderer | Mord |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| nai (ναι) (Greek) no (Czech, Polish) |
nay, no | yes | |
| nicht (German) | night | not | nacht |
| no (Finnish) | no /nou/ | uh, well | ei |
| noleggio (Italian) | knowledge | hire, rental | conoscenza |
| Not (German) | not | need (noun) | nicht |
| Novelle (German) novell (Swedish) |
novel | short story, novella | roman (French) |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| on (Polish) on (Serbian) |
on | he | |
| on (Finnish) | on | is | -lla, -llä suffixes |
| once (Spanish) | once | eleven | una vez |
| or (French) | or | gold, now (introducing second proposition of a syllogism) | ou |
| ostrica (Italian) | ostrich | oyster | struzzo |
| ours (French) | ours | a bear | le nôtre / la nôtre / les nôtres |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| paa (Finnish) | pa (father) | Colloquial for "put" (literal) or "have sex" (slang) | isä (literal) or isi (childish) |
| pain (French) | pain | bread | |
| paini (Finnish) | pain | wrestling | kipu |
| pan (Spanish, Japanese) | pan | bread | sartén (kitchen cookware) |
| pan (Polish) | pan | sir, mister | |
| papa (Spanish) | papa (father) | potato (in American Spanish) | papá |
| parente (Italian) pariente (Spanish) |
parent | relative, member of kin | genitore (Italian) padre (Spanish) |
| passer (un examen) (French) | pass (an exam) | take (an exam) | réussir (un examen) |
| pateettinen (Finnish) | pathetic | high-flown (i.e. full of pathos) | säälittävä |
| patetic (Romanian) pathétique (French) |
pathetic | emotional (in French, can also mean pathetic) | |
| pathetisch (German) | pathetic | solemn, lofty | jämmerlich |
| pavimento (Italian) | pavement | floor | |
| pensel (Danish, Swedish and Norwegian) | pencil | paintbrush | blyertspenna (Swedish), blyant (Danish and Norwegian) |
| perse (Finnish) | per se (Latinism) | arse, ass | sinänsä |
| pétulant (French) | petulant | playful | |
| pie (Spanish) | pie | foot | pastel |
| pies (Polish) | pie | dog | ciasto |
| pii (Finnish) | π | silicon the element, also archaic "tooth" | |
| pilli (Finnish) | pill | drinking straw | pilleri |
| pimppi (Finnish) | pimp | childish world for "female genitalia" | parittaja, sutenööri |
| pingouin (French) | penguin | auk | |
| polizia (Italian) policía (Spanish) |
policy | police | polizza (Italian) póliza (Spanish) |
| pom (Romanian) | Pommie, Pom | Fruit bearing tree | |
| pomm (Estonian) pommi (Finnish) |
Pommie, Pom | bomb | |
| pomme (French) | Pommie, Pom | apple | |
| postre (Spanish) | pastry | dessert | Repostería or pastelería |
| pregnant (Romanian, Swedish) prägnant (German) |
pregnant | short but informative; remarkable, prominent | schwanger (German) |
| preservativo (Spanish) and (Italian) prezervativ (Romanian) |
preservative | condom; also "preservative" in Spanish | conservante (Spanish, Italian) Konservierungsstoff (German) |
| prick (Swedish) | prick | dot | |
| propaganda (Spanish) |
propaganda | advertising | |
| proces (Romanian) proces (Polish) |
process | trial (at court)/(in Swedish and German mainly used to denote process but also means trial) | |
| professor (Danish) | associate professor (a teacher or faculty member at a college or university) assistant professor (introductory level professor academic rank) |
(full) professor (highest academic rank at universities) | lektor, adjunkt |
| prospecto (Spanish) prospetto (Italian) |
prospect | brochure, leaflet, prospectus | Aussicht (German) |
| prospekt (Swedish) | prospect | prospectus, document or brochure detailing an offer (usually from a travel agent) | |
| prospekt (проспект) (Russian) | prospect | avenue | |
| prune (French) | prune | plum | pruneau (n.) élaguer (v.) |
| pus (Finnish) | pus | onomatopoeia for a kiss | visva |
| pussi (Finnish) | pussy | bag | for the genitals: emätin (biological), vittu (derogatory); for pussy cats: (kissi)mirri |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| queue (French) | queue | tail | |
| quince (Spanish) | quince | fifteen |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| raisin (French) | raisin | grape | |
| rankki, rankka (Finnish) | rank | rankki: distiller's grain; (in paper manufacturing) spent wash rankka: hard (on something) |
arvo |
| Rat (German) Rathaus |
rat rat house |
advice; council; councilor (U.S.), councillor (Br.) town hall |
Ratte Ratthaus |
| rat (Serbian) | rat | war | |
| ratti (Finnish) | ratty | steering wheel | rottainen |
| Rest (German) rest (Swedish) |
rest | remainder(cf. "The rest is silence") | |
| rest (Estonian) |
rest | crate, grid | |
| restar (Spanish) | (to) rest | to subtract, deduct | descansar, reposar |
| rester (French) restare (Italian) |
(to) rest | to stay; to remain | riposare (Italian) coucher (French) |
| resumen (Spanish) |
resume | summary | reanudar (Spanish) |
| riporto (Italian) | report | hair combed over a bald spot | |
| riski (Finnish) | risky | (of persons) strong | |
| roman (French, Serbian and Swedish) Roman (German) |
Roman | novel | romain (French) Romer, Romerska (Swedish) römisch (German) roomalainen (Finnish) |
| ruotsi (Finnish)
Ruotsi |
Russian | Swedish | venäjän |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| saikou (Japanese) | psycho | the best | |
| sake (Japanese) | sake | Japanese rice wine | |
| sale (French) | sale | dirty | |
| sale (Italian) | sale | salt | vendita |
| sale (Estonian) | sale | slender | |
| sale (Spanish) | sale | leaves (i.e. "He leaves the house") | venta |
| Sale (Finnish) | sale | nickname for Sauli | alennusmyynti, ale |
| sale (Polish) | sale | rooms | |
| salivit (Latin) | salivate | he/she/it jumped | |
| salvaje (Spanish) | salvage | savage | recuperar, salvar (v.) |
| scannare (Italian) | scan | to skin | fare scansione, scannerizzare / esaminare attentamente (as in examine minutely) |
| sechs (German) seks (Danish, Norwegian) |
sex | six | |
| -seksi, as a suffix (Finnish) | sexy | The suffix -nen in translative, e.g. Räikkönen -> Räikköseksi | seksi, as a noun |
| secte (French) Sekte (German) |
sect | cult, sect | |
| See (German) | see | See (m.): lake; See (f): sea | Sehen (v.) Bistum, Bischofssitz (n.) |
| Seite (German) | site | page | |
| seksten (Danish and Norwegian) sexton (Swedish) |
sexton | sixteen | |
| Sekt (German) | sect | champagne, sparkling wine | |
| Sensation (German) | sensation | blowoff, scorcher | |
| sensibel (German) sensibile (Italian) |
sensible | sensitive | |
| she (舌) (Mandarin) | she | tongue | |
| side (Finnish) | side | bandage, bond, tie, blindfold | puoli |
| Sie (German) | see | you (formal), she, they | Sehen (v.) |
| Sinn (German) | sin | sense, mind, meaning, acceptance, aesthesia, signification, tenor, appreciation | Sünde |
| sin (Serbian) | sin | son | |
| sin (Spanish) | sin | without | pecado |
| sin (Swedish) | sin | "one's own", genitive reflexive pronoun | synd |
| sin (spoken Finnish) | sin | short for sinne, "into there" | synti |
| skhema (схема) (Russian) | scheme | diagram; scheme, layout (something planned); circuit (technology); outline (general description) | схема, план, проект; интрига, махинация, козни (pl), происки (pl) (bad connotation) |
| slang (Swedish) | slang | hose | slang(språk), slang(ord) |
| Slip (German) slip (Italian) |
slip (clothing) | knickers, panties | sottoveste (clothing) (Italian) |
| slut (Swedish) | slut | end, finish | slampa |
| Smoking (German) smoking (Swedish) |
smoking | dinner jacket (Br.), tuxedo (U.S.); but not smoking jacket | |
| son (Spanish) | son | (they) are; song | hijo |
| son (French) | son | sound; bran; his/her (masculine thing possessed) | fils |
| soy (Spanish) | soya soybean | (I) am | soja |
| stark (German and Swedish) | stark | strong | |
| step (Chumash) | step | flea | |
| stor (Swedish) | store | big, large | affär, butik |
| stout (Dutch) | stout | naughty | |
| strafen (German) | strafe | punish | |
| subskribo (Esperanto) | subscribe | signature | abono, kotizo |
| sum (Latin) | sum | I am | summa |
| sun (spoken Finnish) | sun /san/ | your | aurinko |
| Sveti, Sweti (several Slavic languages, e.g.:) Święty (Polish) |
sweaty | Saint | |
| simpatic (Romanian) simpatico (Italian) |
sympathetic | likeable, friendly |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tag (German) tag (Swedish) |
tag | German: day Swedish: take! | |
| tikki, täkki, takki, tukki (Finnish) | tick , tack , tuck | stitch, quilt, jacket, log, respectively | |
| talli (Finnish) | tally | garage, stable | |
| tarra (Finnish) | tar | sticker | terva |
| tekniikka (Finnish) | technique () | technology (as a discipline) | |
| teknologi (Swedish) | technology | technology as a discipline | teknik |
| ten (Spanish) | ten | take! (imperative tense) | diez |
| ten (Polish) | ten | this | |
| tie, tai (Finnish) | tie | tie "road", tai "or" | sitoa, solmia (verb); solmio (noun) |
| Tier (German) | tier | animal | |
| to (Polish) to (Serbian) |
to (in writing) | that | |
| tobogan (Croatian, Serbian, etc.) | toboggan | water slide | |
| tu (Polish) tu (Croatian, Serbian) |
to (in pronunciation) | here | |
| toi (spoken Finnish; "tuo" in standard language) | toy | that | leikkikalu, lelu |
| t'oi (台) (Hakka) | toy | tower | |
| trece (Spanish) | terce | thirteen | |
| tunnista (Finnish) | Tunisian | recognize (language, face, etc.) | Tunisian |
| Tuuri (Finnish) | tour | luck | kiertue |
| tyranni (Finnish) | tyranny | tyrant | tyrannia |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unterstand (German) | (to) understand | shelter; dugout; bunker | verstehen |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| veri (Finnish) | very | blood | hyvin |
| vi (Croatian, Serbian) | we (in reading) | you | |
| villa (Finnish) | villa | wool | huvila |
| vink (Swedish) vinkki (Finnish) |
wink | hint, wave (salutation) | blink(noun, blinka(verb)) (Swedish) |
| vink (Dutch) | wink | finch (bird) | |
| Virolainen (finnish) | virulent | Estonian | virulentti |
| vrist (Swedish) | wrist | ankle | handled |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| wanken (German) | (to) wank | to sway; to succumb; to stagger (esp. drunkenly) | wichsen |
| wanna (Polish) Wanne (German) |
contraction of "want to" | bath (tub) | |
| war (German) | war | was | Krieg |
| was (German) | was | what | war |
| Webseite (German) | web site | web page | |
| wer (German) | where | who | wo |
| will (German) vill (Swedish) |
will (law), will (vb.) | I/he/she/it wants | |
| winken (German) | wink | to wave | |
| wo (German) | who, woe | where | wer; Sorg |
| wǒmen (Mandarin Pinyin) | women | we |
| Non-English word | Which resembles English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| yǒu (有) (Mandarin) | you | to have |
| Non-English word | Which sounds like English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| बनाना (Hindi) | banana | To make | केला |
| 不(Pinyin bù) (Mandarin) | boo | no, not |
| Non-English word | Which sounds like English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| այսօր (Armenian) | eyesore | today |
| Non-English word | Which sounds like English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ինչ (Armenian) | inch | what | |
| hai (Italian) | I, aye, eye | you have | io, sì, occhio |
| ai (Italian) | I, aye, eye | to the | io, sì, occhio |
| Non-English word | Which sounds like English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 是(Pinyin shì) (Mandarin) | sure | is, yes | |
| σπαθί (Greek) | spade (in cards) | club (in cards; but can also mean sword) | μπαστούνι |
| Non-English word | Which sounds like English | But actually means | For an equivalent of the English word use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ես (Armenian) | yes | I |