https://www.proz.com/kudoz/english-to-german/other/584407-false-friends.html

False friends

German translation: see link

18:11 Dec 1, 2003
English to German translations [PRO]
English term or phrase: False friends
I am looking for a list of "false friends" between English and German and/or the other way round. Would be grateful for any help.
Annegret Robinson
Local time: 15:27
German translation:see link
Explanation:
*
Selected response from:

NGK
United States
Local time: 08:27
Grading comment
Thank you very much, I have plenty of material to go through now!
Thank you to everyone else, too. You have all been most helpful.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +6The most common one for me is:
Antje Lücke
5 +3see link
NGK
4 +2take a look at the links
Stefanie Sendelbach
4 +1s.u.
Ivo Lang


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
false friends
see link


Explanation:
*


    Reference: http://www.google.de/search?q=falsche-freunde+sensible&ie=UT...
NGK
United States
Local time: 08:27
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 1890
Grading comment
Thank you very much, I have plenty of material to go through now!
Thank you to everyone else, too. You have all been most helpful.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Antje Lücke
5 hrs

agree  Manfred Mondt: Frage: how did you get the link into ProZ?
6 hrs

agree  Susan Geiblinger
13 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
false friends
s.u.


Explanation:
Unter anderem hier:
http://german.about.com/library/blfalsef.htm

Ivo Lang
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:27
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in pair: 6497

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Norbert Hermann
2 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
take a look at the links


Explanation:
here are a few collections of false friends in English / German:

http://german.about.com/library/blfalsef.htm

http://www.serve.com/shea/falsche.htm

http://www.englischlehrer.de/language/vocab_false_friends.ph...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-12-01 18:18:30 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

another interesting one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_friend

Stefanie Sendelbach
Germany
Local time: 15:27
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 338

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  verbis
3 mins

agree  Norbert Hermann
2 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +6
The most common one for me is:


Explanation:
actual. Correct German translation: tatsächlich. Cannot count the number of times I found it translated as "aktuell"!

So far for my pet false friend :-) Sorry I don' have any official list to offer you.


Antje Lücke
Germany
Local time: 15:27
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in pair: 160

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cilian O'Tuama: eventuell/eventually also very common
33 mins

agree  Herbert Fipke: My favorite is "control" in technical manuals.
1 hr

agree  Harry Bornemann: I like the difference between oversee and overhear compared to their direct translations.
2 hrs

agree  Norbert Hermann: I have seen "mince" (mince meat) pies translated in a subtitle in the Dame Edna Everage show as "Fleischpasteten" - imagine that for Christmas :-))
2 hrs

agree  D D (X)
4 hrs

agree  Nancy Arrowsmith: I just love "I white it not" for "Ich weiss es nicht"
5 hrs
  -> and asking Scotsmen: "Do you wear rocks all the time?" :-)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also: