German and English share so many words that guessing often works. Haus is house, Hand is hand, Winter is winter. Then you tell a German colleague you've brought them a Gift, and they look worried. Das Gift is poison.
Words like this are called false friends: they look familiar and mean something else. German also uses a set of English words in ways no English speaker would, known as Denglisch. Both kinds are below.
The Classic German False Friends
| German | Means | Not |
|---|---|---|
das Gift | poison | a gift (das Geschenk) |
bekommen | to get, to receive | to become (werden) |
der Chef | boss | a cook (der Koch) |
also | so, therefore | also (auch) |
aktuell | current, up to date | actual (tatsächlich) |
eventuell | possibly | eventually (schließlich) |
sensibel | sensitive | sensible (vernünftig) |
spenden | to donate | to spend (ausgeben) |
die Rente | pension | rent (die Miete) |
bald | soon | bald (glatzköpfig) |
fast | almost | fast (schnell) |
brav | well-behaved | brave (mutig) |
die Art | kind, type | art (die Kunst) |
die Fabrik | factory | fabric (der Stoff) |
der Rat | advice | a rat (die Ratte) |
wer | who | where (wo) |
will | wants | will (werden) |
Good to know:
- Bekommen causes the most famous mix-up. In a restaurant, Ich bekomme ein Schnitzel is a normal way to order: "I'll have a schnitzel". It doesn't mean you're turning into one.
- Eventuell matters in emails. Ich komme eventuell means "I might come", not "I'll come in the end". Don't count on that person.
- Will is from wollen, to want: Ich will nach Hause, "I want to go home". The future is built with werden.
The Ones That Cause Real Trouble
Some mix-ups are funny. These cost money or cause confusion at work.
| German | Means | Where it bites |
|---|---|---|
die Rente | pension | Rentenversicherung on your payslip is pension insurance, not a rent payment |
die Miete | rent | the word you need for your flat |
das Rezept | recipe, prescription | the same word in the kitchen and at the doctor's |
das Gymnasium | academic secondary school | the school that leads to the Abitur; a gym is das Fitnessstudio |
der Termin | appointment, also a fixed date | a Termin is a date; a period you have to act within is die Frist |
das Kollegium | the teaching staff | a school word, not a college |
Denglisch: English Words With German Meanings
These are English words, or look like them, but Germans use them for something else. Some aren't used in English at all.
| Germans say | They mean | In English you'd say |
|---|---|---|
das Handy | mobile phone | mobile, cell phone |
der Beamer | projector | projector |
der Oldtimer | vintage car | classic car |
das Public Viewing | watching football on big outdoor screens | a public screening |
das Homeoffice | working from home | working from home |
der Smoking | dinner jacket | tuxedo |
das Mobbing | bullying, especially at work | bullying |
die Bodybag | small cross-body bag | crossbody bag |
das Shooting | photo shoot | photo shoot |
die Wellness | spa treatments | spa |
das Peeling | exfoliating scrub | face scrub |
Quick note: Public Viewing makes English speakers think of a coffin at a funeral. For Germans it means beer and a big screen during the World Cup.
The Words You Actually Meant
When a false friend slips out, these are the German words you were looking for.
gift, present
das Geschenk
to become
werden
cook
der Koch
also
auch
actually
eigentlich
eventually
schließlich
sensible
vernünftig
to spend money
ausgeben
rent
die Miete
fast
schnell
brave
mutig
art
die Kunst
fabric
der Stoff
where
wo
Practice these words
das Geschenk
Quick note: "actually" is eigentlich or tatsächlich, never aktuell. Eigentlich wollte ich nur fragen… is "Actually, I just wanted to ask…".
Why They're Worth Learning
They feel safe. You'd look up an unfamiliar word. You don't look up also or Chef, because you think you know them. That's why these mistakes survive for years, even in fluent speakers.
Germans make the same mistakes in reverse. A German colleague who says "I will become a coffee" is translating bekommen straight across. Knowing the list helps you understand them too.