Language

IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH

Section 1 - False Friends

There are certain Swedish words that sound like English words - but the English words are used in a different way, they cover a different set of meanings than the Swedish words. We can call these Swedish words "False Friends" because they seem to help us to understand English, but in reality they only help us to make mistakes in English.

Swedish

English

English

Swedish

1. aktuell

 

 

relevant

of current interest

up-to-date

actual

 

actually

verklig, faktisk

 

faktiskt

2. bada (i sjön)

 

swim

go for a swim

have a bath

 

bada i badkar

 

Exercise 1

Swedish

English

English

Swedish

3. engagerad

 

involved in

committed to

engaged

actually

förlovad

upptaget anställd

4. eventuellt

 

something that might happen

possibly

eventually

 

till slut

så småningom

(Any accidents that might happen - Eventuella olyckor.

He'll get to Nairobi eventually - Han kommer fram så småningom)

5: genial

 

brilliant

ingenious

genial

 

vänlig

munter

Exercise 2

Swedish

English

English

Swedish

6. gymnasium

Upper secondary school

gymnasium

gymnastiksal

(There was no gymnasium in the upper secondary school. Det fanns ingen gymnastiksal på gymnasiet)

7. läxor

homework

housework

hushållsarbete

8. hus

Building

house

House

(where people live)

villa

(In this building we think ....... Här i huset menar man)

9. isolerad

 

isolated

 

insulated

 

isolerad

insulated

(The refrigerator is well insulated. Kylskåpet är bra isolerat.

His house is quite isolated, no other houses are near it.

Hans hus är helt isolerat, det finns inga andra hus i närheten.)

Exercise 3