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8 May 2025

False friends – how to avoid common language pitfalls in Norwegian and Danish

A person is sitting in front of a computer. On the computer screen is the Språkbolaget logo. On the desk are small flags of Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

Have you heard of the term ”false friends” in the context of languages?
It’s not about people, but about words that seem familiar in different languages but which actually mean completely different things. Recognising these words is crucial to avoid misunderstandings. Sometimes false friends lead to comical situations, but in the worst case they can also entail serious consequences, especially in business communication and official contexts.

In this post, we explain the term false friends and provide a few concrete examples of words you should be extra wary of.

What are linguistic false friends?

A false friend is a word that looks the same or sounds the same in two different languages, but has completely different meanings. Despite their superficial similarity, the words lack a common meaning, which can create confusion for anyone learning a new language or communicating across language boundaries. These words may be spelled the same (homographs), sound the same (homophones) or both (homonyms) – but they must definitely not be confused with each other. 

The phenomenon is particularly common between closely related languages, such as the Nordic languages, English and German. These languages share a historical origin and have many common linguistic features, which makes it easy to assume similar words also carry similar meanings. But this very linguistic closeness can create a false sense of security. One thinks one understands, but misinterpretation lurks just beneath the surface. It’s for precisely this reason that false friends so often lead to misunderstandings, mistranslations and comical or embarrassing situations in conversation.

Desk with a woman writing in a notepad. A laptop is on the desk and a pair of glasses are lying on a notepad nearby.
When two words look the same or are pronounced similarly in different languages but do not mean the same thing, they are known as false friends.

Common false friends in Swedish, Danish and Norwegian

It’s not unusual for a word to have the same meaning in Danish and Norwegian while meaning something completely different in Swedish. An example that most people probably know is the word rolig. In Swedish, it means entertaining or fun, whereas in Danish and Norwegian it means calm. Thus a rolig evening means something completely different in Swedish than it does in our Nordic neighbours

Less well known is that the word for a dress (kjole) in Denmark and Norway is almost the same as the word for skirt in Swedish (kjol), or that in Denmark they keep their dogs on a snor (leash). While snor also means string in Danish and Norwegian, it only means nasal mucus in Swedish.

Other examples of false friends in Danish and Swedish include:

  • Krage means crow in Danish. If you recognise the Danish expression ”krage søger mage” (crow seeks mate) it’s easy to see where we Swedes went wrong with ”kaka söker maka” (cookie seeks spouse). But both rhyme, and both mean birds of a feather stick together
  • In Swedish, frukost means breakfast, while in Denmark frokost means lunch. Breakfast in Denmark is morgenmad (morning meal).
  • Rummet, the word for space (in a building) in Danish can also mean outer space, like rymden in Swedish.
  • But ett rum, what we Swedes usually call a room, is mostly called a værelse in Danish, not to be confused with the Swedish varelse (a being).

Norwegian also has many tricky words that can cause confusion. A typical example is artig, which in Norwegian means pleasant or amusing, while the Swedish word artig means polite or well mannered. There are of course more examples of false friends in Swedish and Norwegian.

  • Gløgg in Norwegian is not just a Yuletide drink, it also means witty or smart.
  • A tilbud in Norwegian (or Danish) is nothing terrible at all, it just means business offer; but in Swedish a tillbud means a serious incident.
  • And if a Norwegian (or Dane) says he has no reason (anledning) to help you, don’t get angry – it just means he’s not able to right now.
  • One Norwegian word that is particularly confusing for Swedes is søskenbarn (lit. Siblings’ children) as it translates as cousin, but the siblings it refers to are those of one’s parents. So logical!

Are there false friends in English or German?

Yes, of course! English and German also have linguistic pitfalls that can cause problems for us.

  • Semester means school term in both English and German, not leave as in Swedish.
  • And to create even greater confusion, Termin in German (and also Danish and Norwegian) means a scheduled time (or due date). For example, in a pregnancy, ”Barnet kom på termin” means the baby arrived at term.
  • To continue on the theme, a barn is a cowshed in English, and unlike bairn, has nothing to do with babies.

Why do false friends occur?

False friends often arise for historical and cultural reasons, where languages share common roots but have developed in different directions. The fact that certain words are similar or almost identical in spelling and pronunciation, yet mean something completely different, is often due to the languages having a common ancestor, or a word having been borrowed from a third language at different times and acquiring new meanings along the way, as in semester and termin above. The word semester comes from Latin and means a six-month period. In 18th-century Sweden, it signified an officer’s right to take an extended period of leave, and thus came to acquire the meaning vacation. And the word termin means a specific time or period. In Swedish, this is interpreted more as a period of time whereas in Danish, Norwegian and German it’s seen as a point in time . Both are clear examples of how the same word can evolve in different directions and create linguistic confusion.

Tips for avoiding pitfalls with false friends

Being aware of false friends is a good first step in avoiding linguistic misunderstandings. Here are some simple but effective tips:

  • Look up strange words. The Scandinavian equivalents of the SAOL can be found at ordnet.dk and ordbokene.no.
  • If you often work with our Scandinavian neighbours, it would be smart to create a list of the common false friends you come across.
  • Ask a second time if you’re unsure about the meaning of a certain word or expression.
Group photo showing the gesturing hands of two people. A third person's hand is holding a cup.
Being aware of why false friends arise can help you to better understand and avoid the most common mistakes in communication and translation.

Need help with translations into Danish and Norwegian?

At Språkbolaget, our translators are experts in handling the Nordic languages and are well acquainted with linguistic nuances, including false friends. We can help your company ensure accurate, clear and effective translations every time.

Feel free to contact us for advice or to get help with your next project to make sure your message gets across without any misunderstandings.