False friends Meaning in English
expression · lemma: false friend
Definition
In language learning, 'false friends' are words in two different languages that look or sound similar but have different meanings, which can easily lead to misunderstandings.
Usage & Nuances
'False friends' is a technical term in linguistics and language learning, not about personal relationships. It is most common in discussions about translation, language classes, or bilingual situations. The phrase is typically used as a plural ('false friends'), and common examples include words like 'actual' in English and 'actual' in Spanish, which mean different things.
Example Sentences
Some English and French words are false friends and don't mean the same thing.
basic
Learners often confuse false friends when studying new languages.
basic
Be careful with false friends like 'library' and 'librarie'.
basic
It's easy to make mistakes because of false friends during conversations.
natural
She was surprised to learn how many false friends there are between German and English.
natural
If you trust false friends, you might end up saying something embarrassing!
natural