🌍Culture and Usage
Common False Friends in Norwegian for English Learners
Published on
Understanding False Friends in Language Learning
False friends are words in two languages that look or sound similar but differ significantly in meaning. For English speakers learning Norwegian, these words can lead to amusing, if not sometimes embarrassing, misunderstandings.
Common False Friends in Norwegian
Here, we will explore some of the most common false friends you may encounter when learning Norwegian. Understanding these will not only help you improve your language skills but also avoid potential confusion.
List of False Friends
- Gift - Poison (not 'gift')
- Art - Type/species (not 'art')
- Bra - Good (not 'bra')
- Lett - Easy (not 'light')
- Hus - House (sounds similar but contextually varies from 'husband')
- Bil - Car (not 'bill')
- Rope - Yell/cry (not 'rope')
- Teknikk - Technique (not 'technician')
Sample Sentences Using False Friends
Slangens <b>gift</b> er dødelig.
The snake's poison is deadly.
Denne <b>teknikk</b> er lett.
This technique is simple.
Further Reading
- Norwegian False Friends
A guide to understanding and avoiding common false friends in Norwegian.
- False Friends in Norwegian Lesson
In-depth lesson about false friends for Norwegian learners.
- Appendix of False Cognates
A list of false cognates between English and various languages, including Norwegian.