Words that look English but mean something else: avoid the most common traps in German.
English helps you a lot when you learn German: thousands of words are similar, like Haus, Buch or Information. But some words look English and mean something completely different. These false friends cause funny and sometimes embarrassing mistakes, for example when you tell a waiter Ich bekomme ein Steak and think it sounds odd, or when you call your boss a Chef and imagine a cook.
Because most Indians learn German through English, these traps are especially common. You meet them in everyday situations: at the pharmacy, at work, at school and in rental contracts. Learn each word with its real meaning and an example sentence, and you will stop translating them automatically.
Learn every noun together with its article and plural. Use the flashcards to test yourself: the German word on the front, the meaning on the back.
| Word | Plural | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| das Handy | die Handys | mobile phone (not 'handy') | Mein Handy ist kaputt. |
| der Chef | die Chefs | boss (not a cook) | Mein Chef ist heute im Homeoffice. |
| bekommen | – | to get / receive (not 'become') | Ich bekomme jeden Monat mein Gehalt. |
| also | – | so / well (not 'also') | Also, was machen wir heute? |
| aktuell | – | current (not 'actual') | Das ist die aktuelle Version. |
| eventuell | – | possibly (not 'eventually') | Eventuell komme ich später. |
| sensibel | – | sensitive (not 'sensible') | Meine Haut ist sehr sensibel. |
| sympathisch | – | likeable (not 'sympathetic') | Die neue Kollegin ist sehr sympathisch. |
| brav | – | well-behaved (not 'brave') | Die Kinder waren heute sehr brav. |
| bald | – | soon (not 'bald') | Wir sehen uns bald. |
| fast | – | almost (not 'fast') | Ich bin fast fertig. |
| konsequent | – | consistent (not 'consequent') | Bei den Regeln muss man konsequent sein. |
| wer | – | who (not 'where') | Wer ist das? |
| wo | – | where (not 'who') | Wo wohnst du? |
| spenden | – | to donate (not 'spend') | Wir spenden Kleidung an das Rote Kreuz. |
| das Gift | die Gifte | poison (not a present) | Dieses Mittel ist Gift für Katzen. |
| das Rezept | die Rezepte | prescription / recipe (not 'receipt') | Für dieses Medikament brauchen Sie ein Rezept. |
| die Art | die Arten | kind / type (not 'art') | Welche Art von Musik hörst du? |
| die Hose | die Hosen | trousers (not 'hose') | Die Hose ist zu lang. |
| der Rock | die Röcke | skirt (not 'rock') | Sie trägt einen blauen Rock. |
| die Fabrik | die Fabriken | factory (not 'fabric') | Er arbeitet in einer Fabrik. |
| der Mist | – | rubbish / dung (not 'mist') | So ein Mist, der Bus ist weg! |
| die Kaution | die Kautionen | deposit (not 'caution') | Die Kaution beträgt drei Monatsmieten. |
| die Note | die Noten | grade / mark (not a banknote) | Sie hat eine gute Note bekommen. |
| das Gymnasium | die Gymnasien | academic secondary school (not 'gym') | Mein Sohn geht aufs Gymnasium. |
| die Billion | die Billionen | trillion (not 'billion') | Die Schulden betragen über zwei Billionen Euro. |
| der Beamer | die Beamer | projector (not a car) | Der Beamer im Meetingraum funktioniert nicht. |
The most frequent trap is bekommen: it means to get or receive. To become is werden: Ich werde Ärztin (I am becoming a doctor). And also means so or well; English also is auch.
Numbers are a serious false friend in business: German eine Milliarde is an English billion, and eine Billion is a trillion.
Some false friends are pseudo-English: Handy and Beamer look English, but English speakers say mobile phone and projector. Keep a small list of words that tricked you, and review it often. When something sounds strange, check it: Gift is poison, so better call a present ein Geschenk.
1. What does „sensibel“ mean?
2. What does „bekommen“ mean?
3. What does „wo“ mean?
4. What does „das Gymnasium“ mean?
5. What does „das Gift“ mean?
6. What does „das Rezept“ mean?
7. Which article does „Fabrik“ (factory (not 'fabric')) take?
8. Which article does „Mist“ (rubbish / dung (not 'mist')) take?
9. Which article does „Kaution“ (deposit (not 'caution')) take?
10. Which article does „Art“ (kind / type (not 'art')) take?
More vocabulary: Anglicisms in German, Common compound nouns, Everyday idioms.
Check any noun with the noun gender lookup, or browse the vocabulary index.
Original practice questions written by the Desi European Tales editorial team; they are not the official exam questions. Checked 1 November 2026.
Related: German vocabulary by topic · German A2 lessons · Anglicisms in German
