Appendix:False friends between English and German

This is a list of English-German false friends, that is, word pairs similar in appearance but different in meaning. Translations may be approximated; see linked entries for details.

German word	English translation	English word	German translation
Art	type	art	Kunst
Bad	bathroom	bad	schlecht
bald	soon	bald	kahl, glatzköpfig
bekommen	get	become	werden
Billion	trillion	billion	Milliarde
Boot	boat	boot	Stiefel, hochfahren
Brand	fire, blaze	brand	Marke
Brief	letter	brief	kurz
Chef	boss	chef	Koch
dispositiv	non-mandatory	dispositive	decisive about the matter
Etikett	tag, label	etiquette	Etikette
Fabrik	factory	fabric	Textil
Gaffer	onlooker, gawker	gaffer	Greis
Gift	poison	gift	Geschenk
Glut	ambers, glow	glut	Überfluss
Gruft	crypt	gruft	?
Gymnasium	grammar school, prep school	gymnasium	Fitnessstudio, Turnhalle
Handy	mobile phone	handy	praktisch, handlich, geschickt
Hut	hat	hut	Hütte
Korn	kernel (more general)	corn	Getreide
Mist	manure, shit, crap	mist	Nebel
Note	grade	note	Notiz
Rente	pension	rent	Miete
spenden	donate	spend	ausgeben
Tag	day	tag	Etikett, Markierung
Taste	key (on a piano)	taste	Geschmack, schmecken
tasten	feel, fumble, grope	taste	Geschmack, schmecken
übersehen	overlook	oversee	beaufsichtigen, betreuen
überhören	miss	overhear	mithören, belauschen
Unternehmer	entrepreneur, employer	undertaker	Bestatter
Wand	wall	wand	Stab
will	want	will	werden
wandern	hike	wander	schlendern
winken	wave, beckon	wink	zwinkern, blinzeln