Do false friends exist in other Germanic languages like Dutch or Swedish
False friends when learning German: Do false friends exist in other Germanic languages like Dutch or Swedish
False friends do exist in other Germanic languages like Dutch and Swedish. Both languages share many similar-looking or sounding words with English or each other, but some have significantly different meanings, causing confusion.
False Friends in Dutch
Dutch has numerous false friends with English, where words look or sound alike but differ in meaning. For example:
- “Actueel” means “current” or “up-to-date,” not “actual” (real).
- “Eventueel” means “possibly,” not “eventually.”
- “Eikel” means “acorn,” while “eekhoorn” means “squirrel.”
- “Winkel” means “shop,” not to be confused with “winkle” in English.
- “Slim” means “clever” or “intelligent,” contrasting with the English “slim.”
- “Bad” translates to “bath,” whereas in English “bad” means “not good.” These show significant semantic shifts despite similar forms. 1, 2, 3, 4
False Friends in Swedish
Swedish also features notable false friends with English, including:
- “Fart” means “speed” rather than the English meaning.
- “Bad” means “bathing place” or “swimming pool,” not something negative.
- “Barn” means “child,” not a farm building.
- “Slut” means “end” or “finish,” which is very different from the English vulgar word.
- “Gift” means both “married” and “poison,” unlike the English “gift” meaning a present. These examples illustrate potential misunderstandings between English and Swedish speakers. 5, 6, 7, 8
Summary
False friends are common across Germanic languages like Dutch and Swedish, reflecting shared linguistic history but divergent semantic developments. Learners should be aware of these pitfalls to avoid confusion or humorous mistakes.
This confirms that false friends exist in Dutch and Swedish, similarly to German.