Can you give examples of false friends in German that sound similar to English words

Here are some examples of German false friends—words that sound or look similar to English words but have different meanings:

• Gift in German means “poison,” not a present.
• Rat in German means “advice” or “council,” not a rodent.
• Chef in German means “boss” or “manager,” not a cook.
• Bald in German means “soon,” not lacking hair.
• Brav in German means “well-behaved” or “good,” not brave.
• Actual in German (aktuell) means “current” or “up-to-date,” not real or factual.
• Handy in German means “mobile phone,” not convenient.
• Sensible in German means “sensitive,” not reasonable.
• Billion in German is 10^12 (a trillion in English), not 10^9.
• Boden in German means “floor” or “ground,” not a body of water.

These false friends are very common sources of misunderstanding for English speakers learning or reading German because of their similar sound or spelling but different meanings. Let me know if examples with more details or usage would be helpful.

References

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