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False Friends

Marie Pagil, Elof Lindälvs gymnasium, Kungsbacka – www.lektion.se

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What do we mean with “False Friends” in English?

False Friends are words that look very much like a word in the other language and they are therefore easily misused or misunderstood.

This presentation will show both

English words that look like Swedish words and the other way around.

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English Words that might be problematic

Under This means in Swedish ”under” (as

in ”below”) or ”enligt” (”under English Law”)

How do you say ”under den sista veckan”?

During the last week.

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English Words

Receipt, which means… ”kvitto” How do you translate the Swedish

word ”recept”, then? If it concerns medication:

a prescription If it is something you might cook:

a recipe

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English Words

Semester, means: ”termin” (especially in the U.S.) How do you say ”semester” in

English? Vacation.

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English Words

Warehouse? ”lagerlokal” or ”magasin”. How do you say ”varuhus” in

English? Department store

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English Words

Wink? ”blinkning” How do you say ”vinka”? wave

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English Words

Armband ”armbindel” How do you say ”armband”? bracelet

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English words

Chips Pommes frites But if you want ”chips”!? crisps

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English words

Chin This is ”haka” in Swedish How do you say ”kind”? Cheek.

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English words

Wrist This means ”handled” in Swedish And if you want to say ”vrist”? Ankle.

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English words

Grape This means ”druva” in Swedish How do you say ”grapefrukt”? Grapefruit.

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English words

Novel This means ”roman” in Swedish How do you say ”novell”? Short story.

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English words

Detective This means ”kriminalpolis” in

Swedish How do you say ”detektiv”? Private investigator.

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English words

Fabric This means ”tyg” in Swedish How do you say ”fabrik”? Factory.

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English words

Fabric This means ”tyg” in Swedish How do you say ”fabrik”? Factory.

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Swedish Words that might fool you

”Gymnasium”. How would you say that in English?

Upper secondary school. If you would have said gymnasium,

what would that have meant? ”gymnastiksal”.

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Swedish Words that might fool you

”Aktuell”. How do you translate this word?

Current or latest. If you would have said actual, what

would that have meant? ”faktisk”. For example ”he is the

actual champion of this team”.

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Swedish Words that might fool you

”Affär”. What word would you use in English?

Shop. And if you would have said affair? Then you would have talked about

someone’s love-affair for instance. It means ”angelägenhet”.

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Swedish Words that might fool you

”Nacke”. What word would you use in English?

The back of the head or the nape of the neck.

What would it mean if you would say neck?

”Hals”.

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To sum up...

It might be a good idea to learn some of these words by heart if you feel that you are not sure of them. The words that are ”false friends” are trickier than most others because you think you already know them.