English is your native language. So, you think you won’t face problems in communication when you’ll visit another country. But, DUDE, think again!
There are certain words that give entirely different meanings on the other side of the world. Sometimes a word in English may sound like one in another language. However, they’ve nothing to do with each other. Such words are called false friends.
Read on to know about eight words that could cause you embarrassment in another country.
1. Gift
Assume that you’re in Germany or offering your German friend a gift basket. You will have some funny looks if you hand him something labeled ‘gift’. In the German language, the word ‘gift’ means poison. And, the German word for a gift is geschenk. The correct word for gift basket is geschenkkorb in Germany. When you say giftkorb. It means poison basket.
2. Lull
Does the motion of the car almost lull you to sleep? Has there been a lull in the fighting? Try to avoid using these things when you are in Netherlands. You shouldn’t use ‘lull’ if you’re not actually talking about phalluses. Instead, use the Dutch word ‘wiegen.’ You can also use pauze, which means “pause or break.”
3. Salsa
Salsa in Korean is 설사, which means diarrhea. So, better, you use ‘seolsa.’
4. Payday
Payday is the most exciting day as you receive your pay. In Portuguese-speaking area, the payday is ‘dia do pagamento’ which literally means “day of payment.”
5. Pet
Some sentences for you to consider: Many people are really soppy about their pets. There was a fashion for keeping reptiles as pets. Do you like pets? How many pets do you have? When you talk about your adorable animals at home in France, it’s good to use the Catalan animal domèstic or the French animal de compagnie.
6. Face
The ‘Face’ sounds fesse in France, which means buttock. The right word is visage. When tell someone they have a pretty face might get a tiny bit awkward in France.
7. Beet
Again, the English world ‘beet’ sounds ‘bite’ in France, which means penis. The ‘I’ in the French bite does make the ‘ee’ sound even though, we know, it looks just like the English bite. That can also be confusing.
The correct word for beet in France is betterave. Beat is batter, which means hitting something like a drum.
8. Peach
Say ‘peach tea’ in Turkey, and you would get some funny looks. Peach sounds like ‘pic’ in Turkey, which means bastard. If you want actually peaches, use the word şeftali. For peach tea craving, ask for şeftali çayı.
Bottom Line
Knowing meaning of some of the common words in the place you are visiting is a must, especially when it’s related to any certificate or other document.
Suppose you’ve to get a birth certificate in a different language, it’s good to look for a Birth Certificate Translation service provider. We just told you how different words can mean something entirely different in another language.