“False friends” are words in two languages that look or sound similar but have different meanings. These can be particularly tricky for language learners. Here are some common Norwegian and English false friends:
1. Art
- Norwegian: Art (meaning “species” or “kind”)
- English: Art (meaning “creative works or activities”)
Example:
- Norwegian: Det finnes mange arter av fugler. (There are many species of birds.)
- English: She loves modern art. (Hun elsker moderne kunst.)
2. Gift
- Norwegian: Gift (meaning “poison” or “married”)
- English: Gift (meaning “present” or “something given”)
Example:
- Norwegian: Noen sopper er giftige. (Some mushrooms are poisonous.)
- English: He gave her a beautiful gift. (Han ga henne en vakker gave.)
3. Glass
- Norwegian: Glass (meaning “glass” or “a glass”)
- English: Glass (meaning “material made from silica” or “a container”)
Example:
- Norwegian: Jeg drikker vann fra et glass. (I drink water from a glass.)
- English: The window is made of glass. (Vinduet er laget av glass.)
4. Mist
- Norwegian: Mist (meaning “lost” as the past tense of “miste”)
- English: Mist (meaning “fine spray or fog”)
Example:
- Norwegian: Han mistet nøklene sine. (He lost his keys.)
- English: The morning mist was beautiful. (Morgentåken var vakker.)
5. Eventuelt
- Norwegian: Eventuelt (meaning “possibly” or “if applicable”)
- English: Eventually (meaning “in the end” or “finally”)
Example:
- Norwegian: Vi kan eventuelt gå på kino. (We could possibly go to the cinema.)
- English: He eventually finished his work. (Han fullførte til slutt arbeidet sitt.)
6. Rare
- Norwegian: Rar (meaning “strange” or “weird”)
- English: Rare (meaning “uncommon” or “cooked lightly”)
Example:
- Norwegian: Det var en rar hendelse. (It was a strange event.)
- English: Rare diamonds are valuable. (Sjeldne diamanter er verdifulle.)
7. Fabrikk
- Norwegian: Fabrikk (meaning “factory”)
- English: Fabric (meaning “material or cloth”)
Example:
- Norwegian: Han jobber på en fabrikk. (He works at a factory.)
- English: The dress is made of fine fabric. (Kjolen er laget av fint stoff.)
8. Assist
- Norwegian: Assistere (meaning “to assist” or “help”)
- English: Assist (meaning “to help or support”)
Example:
- Norwegian: Kan du assistere meg med dette prosjektet? (Can you assist me with this project?)
- English: He assisted the manager in the meeting. (Han hjalp manageren i møtet.)
9. Stool
- Norwegian: Stol (meaning “chair”)
- English: Stool (meaning “a small seat” or “a fecal matter”)
Example:
- Norwegian: Han satt på en stol. (He sat on a chair.)
- English: She bought a wooden stool for the kitchen. (Hun kjøpte en trebarnestol til kjøkkenet.)
10. Pretend
- Norwegian: Pretendere (meaning “to claim” or “assert”)
- English: Pretend (meaning “to act as if something is true when it is not”)
Example:
- Norwegian: Han pretenderte å være uskyldig. (He claimed to be innocent.)
- English: The child pretended to be a superhero. (Barnet latet som om det var en superhelt.)
Understanding these false friends can help avoid misunderstandings and improve your fluency in Norwegian. Keep practicing, and watch out for these tricky words!
