“False Friends“ are terms that lead to incorrect translation as a result of superficial analogies. The following collection contains a few of the best known, and some more unusual examples. They all demonstrate that you should not rely on your feelings when you are translating. Professionalism and experience are the enemies of “False
Friends“.
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English
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Notes
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actually
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aktuell
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tatsächlich, eigentlich
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actual case = konkreter Fall, zeitlicher Bezug meist
mit current
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administration
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Administration
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Regierung
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administration = Verwaltung
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ambulance
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Ambulanz
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Krankenwagen
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Ambulanz = outpatient department
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billion
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Billion
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Milliarde
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bolt
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Bolzen
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(Metall-) Schraube
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nuts and bolts = Muttern und Schrauben, screw=
Holzschraube
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border line
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Grenzlinie
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Grenze
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vgl. coast line = Küste
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carbon
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Karbon
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Kohlenstoff
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carbon fiber = Kohlefaser
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concrete
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konkret
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Beton
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concrete wall = Betonwand
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to construct
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konstruieren
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bauen
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konstruieren = to design
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to control
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kontrollieren
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steuern, regeln, lenken, beherrschen
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kontrollieren = to check, verify, supervise
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corn (US)
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Korn, Getreide
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Mais
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critical
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kritisch
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entscheidend
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mission critical = entscheidend für den Erfolg eines
Auftrags
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dealer
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(Drogen-)Dealer
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Händler
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Dealer = pusher
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engaged
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engagiert
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verlobt
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fabric
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Fabrik
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Stoff, Gewebe
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Fabrik = plant (US), factory
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2nd floor (US)
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2. Stock
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1. Stock
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first floor = Erdgeschoss = ground floor (GB)
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football (US)
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Football
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Fussball = soccer
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forma
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formal
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formell
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free
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frei
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kostenlos, gratis
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gas, gasoline (US)
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Gas, Gasolin
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Benzin
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GB: petrol
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glycerol
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Glyzerol
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Glyzerin
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godfather
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Gottvater
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Pate
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gymnasium
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Gymnasium
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Turnhalle
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height
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Höhe
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Grösse
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hot
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heiss
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scharf
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bei Speisen
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hymn
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Hymne
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Lied, Kirchenlied, Choral
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Nationalhymne = national anthem
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instance
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Instanz
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konkreter Fall, Beispiel
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for instance = zum Beispiel, Instanz = institiution
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marmelade
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Marmelade
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speziell Orangenmarmelade
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Marmelade = jam
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minister (US)
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Minister
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Pfarrer
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Minister = secretary (US)
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momentum
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Moment
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Impuls (phys.)
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vgl. Drehmoment
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murder
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Mörder
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Mord
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Mörder = murderer
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must not
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nicht müssen
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nicht dürfen
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nicht müssen = not need to, not have to
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neck
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Nacken
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Hals
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Nacken = back of the neck
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novel
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Novelle
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Roman
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novelist = Romancier, Romanschriftsteller
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number
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Nummer
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Zahl
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ordinary
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ordinär
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gewöhnlich
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ordinär = vulgar
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to overhear
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überhören
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belauschen, zufällig mithören
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overseas (UK)
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Übersee
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Ausland
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continent (GB) = Rest-Europa
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to oversee
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übersehen
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überblicken, überwachen
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übersehen = to overlook
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peperoni, pepperoni (US)
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Peperoni
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Salami
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Peperoni = jalapeño pepper
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personal computer
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Personalcomputer
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Personal Computer
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„persönlicher“ Computer, kein Computer fürs
Personal.
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physician
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Physiker
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Arzt
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Physiker = physicist
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pregnant
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prägnant
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schwanger
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preservative
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Präservativ
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Konservierungsstoff
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receipt
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Rezept
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Quittung, Beleg
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Kochrezept = recipe, Rezept beim Arzt = prescription
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Secretary of State (US)
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Staatssekretär
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Aussenminister
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sensible
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sensibel
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vernünftig
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sensibel = sensitive
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