English-German False Friends
Learners of English often incorrectly use what they believe to be correct English terms. This is because many words appear similar to those in the leaners native language - this is the problem of false friends. The following list is for common false friends which often cause problems for English learners whose mother tongue is German.
I hope you find the list useful. If you need additional help I also offer English proofreading services, so please get in touch if you need help.
| German | Correct English Translation | False Friend | German Translation |
| aktuell | topical, current, up-to-date | actual | wirklich, tatsächlich |
| also | so, therefore | also | auch |
| Art | way, sort, kind | art | Kunst |
| Bein | leg | bone | Knochen |
| bekommen | to get, obtain | to become | werden |
| Body | bodysuit | body | Körper |
| Bord | shelf | board | Tafel |
| brav | good, well-behaved, honest | brave | mutig |
| breit | wide | bright | hell |
| Brief | letter | brief | kurz |
| Chance | opportunity | chance | Zufall, Glück |
| Chef | boss | chef | Koch/Köchin |
| chief | Häuptling | ||
| Chips | crisps (BE) | chips (BE) | Pommes |
| chips (AE) | |||
| City | (town/city) centre (BE), center (AE) | city | Großstadt |
|
clever (schlau) |
crafty | clever | klug |
|
delikat |
delicious, exquisite | delicate | empfindlich |
|
dementiert |
denied, refuted | demented | wahnsinnig |
|
dezent |
discreet, modest | decent | anständig |
|
Dom |
cathedral | dome | Kuppel |
|
eitel |
vain | idle | untätig |
|
egal |
the same, identical | equal | gleich |
|
engagiert |
committed | engaged | verlobt; besetzt (phone) |
|
Etikett |
label, price tag | etiquette | Etikette |
|
eventuell |
possible | eventually | irgendwann; schließlich |
|
Evergreen |
oldie | evergreen | immergrüne Pflanze |
|
Fabrik |
factory | fabric | Stoff |
|
fabrizieren |
to manufacture, to produce | to fabricate | erfinden, ausdenken |
|
famos |
splendid | famous | berühmt |
|
fast |
almost, nearly | fast | schnell |
|
fasten |
to fast | to fasten | befestigen; etwas schließen |
|
fatal |
disastrous | fatal | tödlich |
|
Fehler |
mistake | failure | Misserfolg, Versagen |
|
Fleisch (to eat) |
meat | flesh | Fleisch (part of the body) |
|
Flur |
hallway | floor | Fußboden |
|
Formular |
form | formula | Formel |
|
Fotograf |
photographer | photograph | Foto, Bild |
|
Fund |
discovery, find | fund | Fonds |
|
Gasthaus |
restaurant, pub | guesthouse | Pension |
|
genial |
brilliant, ingenious | genial | angenehm, froh |
|
Gift |
poison | gift | Geschenk |
|
Glanz |
glory, shine, glitz | glance | Blick |
|
graben |
to dig | to grab | nach etwas greifen |
|
Grund |
reason; grounds (motive) | ground | Erdboden |
|
gültig |
valid | guilty | schuldig |
|
Gürtel |
belt | girdle | Hüfthalter |
|
Gymnasium |
grammar school (BE) | gymnasium | Turnhalle |
| high school (AE) | (gym) | ||
| Handy | Mobile(phone) (BE) | handy | praktisch, nützlich |
| cellphone (AE) | |||
| handeln | to take action, do business | to handle (deal with) | anfassen; verarbeiten |
| Happen | snack | to happen | geschehen |
| Hausaufgaben | homework | housework | Hausarbeit |
| Herd | cooker, stove | herd | Herde |
| Hochschule | college, university | high-school | Oberschule |
| Homepage | Website | homepage | Startseite |
| Hose | trousers (BE), pants (AE) | hose | Schlauch |
| human | humane | human | menschlich |
| Hut | hat | hut | Hütte |
| Igel | Hedgehog | eagle | Adler |
| irritieren | to confuse, to bewilder | to irritate | jemanden verärgern |
| Justiz | legal authorities | justice | Gerechtigkeit |
| Kaution | bail, deposit | caution | Vorsicht |
| Keks | biscuit (BE), cookie (AE) | cake | Kuchen |
| Konfession | denomination, religion | confession | Beichte, Geständnis |
| Konkret | specific | concrete | Beton |
| Konkurrenz | competition | concurrence | Einverständnis, Mitwirkung |
| konsequent | consistent | consequent | daraus folgend |
| konservieren | to preserve | to conserve | einsparen |
| kontrollieren | to check, to monitor | to control | regulieren, |
| (überprüfen) | beherrschen, steuern | ||
| Konzept | draft, plan | concept | Begriff, Idee |
| Konzern | (corporate) group | concern | Angelegenheit, Besorgnis |
| Kostüm (Mode) | suit | costume | Verkleidung |
| Kraft | strength | craft | handwerk |
| kurios | strange | curious | neugierig |
| Land (Staat) | country | land | Grund, Boden |
| Lektüre | reading | lecture | Vortrag |
| Limone | lime | lemon | Zitrone |
| Lohn | wages | loan | Kredit, Darlehen |
| Mappe | folder | map | Landkarte |
| Marke | brand | mark | Note (Zensur) |
| massiv | solid | massive | riesig |
| Meinung | opinion | meaning | Bedeutung |
| Menü | set meal | menu | Speisekarte |
| Mist | dung | mist | leichter Nebel |
| Mittel | means | middle | Mitte |
| mittelalterlich | medieval | middle-aged | von mittlerem Alter |
| mobben | to bully | to mob | umringen, umlagern |
| Mode | fashion | mode | Modus |
| Mörder | murderer | murder | Mord |
| nicht müssen | not to have to | must not | etwas nicht dürfen |
| Notiz | note | notice | Beachtung, Benachrichtigung |
| Oldtimer | classic/vintage car | old-timer | Veteran |
| ordinär | vulgar | ordinary | gewöhnlich |
| Paket | parcel | packet | Packung, Schachtel |
| pathetisch | emotional, dramatic | pathetic | erbärmlich, jämmerlich |
| Pension (Hotel) | guest house | pension | Rente |
| Personal | personnel, staff | personal | persönlich |
| Pest | plague | pest | Schädling; Quälgeist |
| Petroleum | paraffin, kerosene | petroleum | Erdöl |
| picken | to peck | pick | pflücken |
| plump | clumsy, ungraceful | plump | mollig |
| Prägnant | concise | pregnant | schwanger |
| Programm (TV) | channel | programme (TV) | Sendung |
| Prospekt | leaflet, brochure | prospect | Aussicht |
| prüfen | to check | to prove | beweisen |
| Publikum | audience | public | Öffentlichkeit |
| Pudding | blancmange | pudding | Nachtisch, Süßspeise |
| etwas realisieren | to implement | realise | einsehen, begreifen |
| reklamieren | to complain | to reclaim | wiedergewinnen |
| rentabel | profitable | rentable | mietbar |
| Rente | pension | rent | Miete |
| resignieren | to give up | resign | zurücktreten |
| Rezept (Arzt) | prescription | receipt | Quittung |
| Rezept (Kochen) | recipe | ||
| Schellfisch | haddock | shellfish | Schalentier |
| scharf (Gewürz) | hot, spicy | sharp | scharf, spitz |
| schmal | narrow | small | klein |
| der See | lake | sea | das Meer, die See |
| senden (TV) | to broadcast | to send | verschicken |
| sensibel | sensitive | sensible | vernünftig |
| seriös | respectable | serious | ernst |
| Sinn | sense | sin | Sünde |
| Smoking | tuxedo, dinner jacket | smoking | Rauchen |
| sparen | to save | spare | übrig haben, jmd. verschonen |
| spenden | to donate | to spend | ausgeben (Geld) |
| verbringen (Zeit) | |||
| spotten | to mock | to spot | entdecken |
| Stadium | stage | stadium | Stadion |
| Stoff | material | stuff | Zeug, Sachen |
| streng | strict | strong | stark |
| Strom (Energie) | electricity | stream | Bach |
| Strom (Fluss) | river | ||
| Stuhl | chair | stool | Hocker |
| sympathisch | nice, pleasant, likeable | sympathetic | mitfühlend, verständnisvoll |
| Tablett | tray | tablet | Tablette |
| Tramper | hitchhiker | tramp | Landstreicher |
| überhören | not hear something | to overhear | zufällig hören |
| übernehmen | to take over | to overtake | überholen |
| Unternehmer | entrepreneur, employer | undertaker | Leichenbestatter |
| vital | full of life | vital | lebenswichtig |
| Wall | embankment, rampart | wall | Mauer, Wand |
| wandern | to hike | to wander | schlendern, herumlaufen |
| Warenhaus | department store | warehouse | Lagerhaus |
| Weit | far | wide | breit |
| wenn | if | when | wann |
| wer | who | where | wo |
| Weste | waistcoat | vest | Unterhemd |
| ich will | I want | I will | ich werde |
| winken | to wave | to wink | zwinkern |
| wo | where | who | wer |
| sich wundern | to be surprised | to wonder | sich fragen |
| Zirkel | pair of compasses | circle | Kreis |
