Brutaal

Meaning: Actually means 'cheeky' or 'impudent'. For brutal, say wreed or bruut.

Language: Dutch

Literally: brutal

Category: Feelings

Origin: From Latin brutalis via French brutal — Dutch settled on nerve and backchat, English on savagery.

More false friends — Feelings

• Esquisito — Actually means 'strange', 'weird' or 'odd'. For exquisite, say requintado.
• Educado — Actually means 'polite' or 'well-mannered'. For educated (schooled), say instruído.
• Injúria — Actually means 'insult' or 'slander'. A physical injury is uma lesão or um ferimento.
• Rar — Actually means 'sweet' or 'kind'. En rar person is a lovely person. (In Norwegian, rar me…
• Grine — Actually means 'to cry' or to pull a sour face. In Danish, grine means 'to laugh' — the e…
• Intelligentny (Интеллигентный) — Actually means 'cultured' and 'well-mannered'. For clever, say умный (umny).

More Dutch false friends

• Slagroom — Actually means 'whipped cream'.
• Mening — Actually means 'opinion'. Mijn mening = my opinion. The meaning of a word is its betekeni…
• Slim — Actually means 'clever' or 'smart'. Hij is slim = He's clever.
• Stout — Actually means 'naughty' or 'mischievous'. Een stoute jongen = a naughty boy.
• Beer — Actually means 'bear'. The drink you order is een bier.
• Big — Actually means 'piglet'. For big, say groot.

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