False Friends, Set Three
More Swedish words that mislead English speakers.
Fifty look-alikes that betray: kö isn't a cue, affär isn't always an affair, betyg isn't a degree — sorted into families so the traps spring in daylight.
- 1
en kö
a queue
Tip: Beware: 'kö' also means a cue in billiards.
- 2
en svans
a tail
Tip: Beware: not 'kö'.
- 3
en gren
a branch (of a tree)
Tip: Beware: 'bransch' means an industry sector.
- 4
en bransch
an industry sector
Tip: Beware: looks like 'branch'.
- 5
ett kontor
an office
Tip: Beware: 'officer' is a military rank only.
- 6
en officer
an officer
Tip: Beware: never a police officer.
- 7
en polis
a police officer
Tip: Beware: 'polis' is both force and officer.
- 8
anställa
to hire (a person)
Tip: Beware: 'hyra' means to rent.
- 9
hyra
to rent
Tip: Beware: looks like 'hire'.
- 10
en hyra
a rent
Tip: Beware: the same word again.
- 11
resa
to travel
Tip: Beware: 'resa' also means to raise.
- 12
resa upp
to raise
Tip: Beware: same root.
- 13
en resa
a journey
Tip: Beware: not a race.
- 14
ett lopp
a race
Tip: Beware: 'ras' means a collapse or a breed.
- 15
en ras
a breed
Tip: Beware: also means race, sensitively.
- 16
ett ras
a collapse
Tip: Beware: same word.
- 17
en tygaffär
a fabric shop
Tip: Beware: 'affär' also means a business deal.
- 18
en affär
a business deal
Tip: Beware: same word as shop.
- 19
en förbindelse
an affair (romantic)
Tip: Beware: not 'affär'.
- 20
betyda
to mean
Tip: Beware: 'mena' is to intend.
- 21
mena
to intend
Tip: Beware: subtle difference.
- 22
en meny
a menu
Tip: Beware: 'mena' is a verb.
- 23
betjäning
a service (in a shop)
Tip: Beware: 'service' means maintenance.
- 24
service
maintenance
Tip: Beware: 'lämna in på service'.
- 25
en översyn
a machine service
Tip: Beware: not customer service.
- 26
ett körkort
a driver's licence
Tip: Beware: 'licens' means a permit for other things.
- 27
en licens
a permit
Tip: Beware: e.g. a firearm licence.
- 28
en professor
a professor
Tip: Beware: a very senior rank here, not any lecturer.
- 29
en lektor
a lecturer
Tip: Beware: 'lektor' is a specific rank.
- 30
en student
a student
Tip: Beware: also means a school-leaver in June.
- 31
en elev
a pupil
Tip: Beware: school, not university.
- 32
en klass
a class (school)
Tip: Beware: 'klass' also means a category.
- 33
ett betyg
a grade (mark)
Tip: Beware: not 'grad'.
- 34
en grad
a degree (temperature)
Tip: Beware: also an academic degree.
- 35
en examen
a university degree
Tip: Beware: 'examen' is also an exam.
- 36
ett prov
an exam
Tip: Beware: 'prov' also means a sample.
- 37
ett blodprov
a blood sample
Tip: Beware: 'prov' covers both exam and sample.
- 38
en provkörning
a test drive
Tip: Beware: same root.
- 39
en kostnad
a cost
Tip: Beware: 'kost' means diet.
- 40
kost
a diet
Tip: Beware: looks like 'cost'.
- 41
en rätt
a dish (food)
Tip: Beware: 'rätt' also means right or correct.
- 42
rätt
correct
Tip: Beware: same word.
- 43
en rättighet
a right (legal)
Tip: Beware: related but distinct.
- 44
en domstol
a court
Tip: Beware: 'kurt' does not exist.
- 45
en gård
a farm
Tip: Beware: 'gård' also means a courtyard.
- 46
en innergård
an inner courtyard
Tip: Beware: 'gård' alone is also a farm.
- 47
en yard
a yard (measure)
Tip: Beware: not used in Sweden.
- 48
en trädgård
a garden
Tip: Beware: 'gård' alone is not a garden.
- 49
en parkbänk
a park bench
Tip: Beware: 'bänk' also means a desk.
- 50
en skolbänk
a school desk
Tip: Beware: same word.