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False friends in Norwegian and English

If a word in one language resembles a word in a another language, in spelling or pronunciation, but the words have different meanings, they are called false friends.

This page offers some examples of such words in Norwegian and English, but does not provide translations. Please use a dictionary to find meanings or translations, suggestions are in the Sources section below.

Please note that some words in this table, such as bein og bone, may be correct translations of each other in some cases.

Norwegian English
advokat advocate (verb), advocate (noun)
akkurat accurate
aktuell actual
anger anger
annonsere announce
arrangement arrangement
assuranse assurance
avhengig dependant, dependent
bakside backside
barn barn
basun bassoon
bein bone
billett billet
blank blank
blankett blanket
blek bleak
dam dam
delikat delicate
dobbeltseng twin bed
eventuell, eventuelt eventual, eventually
fabrikk fabric
fagott faggot
feber fever
fest feast
genial genial
gjespe gasp
grasiøs gracious
haike hike
ha lyst til lust
historie history
historisk historical, historic
hjemmearbeid housework
håndarbeid handicraft
isolere isolate
koke cook
konjunktur conjuncture
konkurrent concurrent
konkurrere concur
konsekvent, inkonsekvent consequent, inconsequent
kontroll (sjekke) control
kontrollere control
korn corn
kritikk critic, critique
krype creep
lykkelig lucky
lystig lusty
mene mean
mobbe mob
moral moral
mugge mug
natur nature
novelle novel
oversikt oversight
overta overtake
pakke opp pack up
permisjon permission
plump plump
presis précis
prest priest
provisjon provision
publikum the public
rekvirere require
rente rent
resept receipt
simpel simple
sjef chief
spare spare
spirituell spiritual
stek steak
sympatisk sympathetic, sympathetically
ta en tur take a hike
varehus warehouse
villa villa

Sources

In other languages