If your readers are heading overseas in the coming months, the team at language learning app, Babbel have put together some common English words which mean something COMPLETELY different overseas. Some of which, could be very useful to know in advance! We thought it could make for a fun and quirky piece for you.
- TUNA
If you find yourself in Spain or the Czech Republic and you’re looking for sushi – be careful not to ask for a tuna roll. The fishy favourite means cactus in Spanish or a tonne in Czech.
Actual translation:
English: Tuna Spanish: atún Czech: tunák
- ANGEL
If you happen to refer to someone as an angel in a complementary way or in terms of a spiritual being with wings and a long robe in Germany or the Netherlands, maybe think again. In German, Angel translates to ‘fishing rod’ and in Dutch it translates to ‘sting’.
Actual translation
English: Angel German: Engel Dutch: Engel
- GIFT
You might think you’re being kind by offering some a gift in Norway, but watch out! Gift in Norwegian means married, so you could be offering a lot more than you think
Actual translation:
English: gift Norwegian: give German: Poison
- SLUT
The derogatory term sometimes used by English speakers to describe a female with loose sexual morals actual means ‘End’ or ‘Final’ in Swedish, so don’t be surprised if you venture to a cinema in Sweden while on holiday and see SLUT appear on the final screen!
Actual translation
English: Slut Swedish: Slampa
- FART
Lets face it – whether you’d like to admit it or not, you might need to use this one! The vulgar word commonly used in English for intestinal gas means ‘good luck’ in Polish or ‘speed’ in Swedish. Oddly, in French fart translates to pet in English.
Actual translation:
English: Fart Polish: pierdnięcie Swedish: Fisa
- PRESERVATIVE
The English word commonly used when referring to food stuffs have a completely different meaning in France. Preservatif means condom in French!
Actual translation:
English: Preservative French: conservateur
- SMOKING
While some governments are trying to make smoking a thing of the past, the French definition of the word is totally different meaning tuxedo.
Actual translation:
English: Smoking French: Fumeur
- GARY
Watch out Gary’s of the world, if you introduce yourself and say ‘I’m Gary’ in Japan, it sounds like ‘I have diarrhoea’ in Japanese.
Actual translation:
English: Gary Japanese: ゲイリー
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