False friend
False friends are pairs of words in two languages that look similar but differ in meaning. Such words can cause difficulty for students learning a foreign language because the students are likely to misidentify the words based on knowledge of their native language.
| Foreign word | Which resembles English | But actually means |
|---|---|---|
| bald (German) | bald | soon |
| bond (French) | bond | leap, bound |
| brav (German) | brave | well-behaved |
| compromiso (Spanish) | compromise | promise |
| Dom | dome | cathedral |
| embarazada (Spanish) | embarrassed | pregnant |
| foresto (Esperanto) | forest | absence |
| Gift (German) | gift | poison |
| greippi (Finnish) | grape | grapefruit |
| main (French) | main | hand |
| once (Spanish) | once | eleven |
| Präservativ (German) | preservative | condom |
| winken (German) | wink | to wave |
Since false friends are common problem for language learners, teachers sometimes compile lists of false friends as an aid for their students.
Compare: False cognate
Sources include