Gymnasium
Meaning: Actually means 'grammar school' or 'academic high school'. A sports hall is eine Turnhalle.
Language: German
Looks like: gymnasium / gym
Category: Places
Origin: From Greek gymnasion; in Germany (and much of Europe), it means an elite secondary school.
More false friends — Places
- Camera — Actually means 'room'. A camera (device) is una macchina fotografica.
- Magazzino — Actually means 'warehouse' or 'storeroom'. A magazine (periodical) is una rivista.
- Magazin (Магазин) (Magazin) — Actually means 'shop' or 'store'. A magazine (periodical) is журнал (zhurnal).
- See — Actually means 'lake' (der See) or 'sea' (die See). To see is sehen.
- Fattoria — Actually means 'farm'. A factory is una fabbrica.
- Livraria — Actually means 'bookshop'. A library is uma biblioteca.
More German false friends
- Smoking — Actually means 'tuxedo' or 'dinner jacket'. The verb (smoking cigarettes) is rauchen.
- Eventuell — Actually means 'possibly' or 'perhaps'. Eventuell komme ich = Maybe I'll come — not 'I'll…
- Mist — Actually means 'manure' or 'dung'. Foggy mist is Nebel or Dunst.
- Oldtimer — Actually means 'vintage car' or 'classic aircraft'. A veteran person is ein Veteran.
- Bekommen — Actually means 'to receive' or 'to get'. To become is werden.
- Rat — Actually means 'advice' or 'counsel'. A rat (the rodent) is eine Ratte.
From our tongue twisters
- Wenn Fliegen hinter Fliegen fliegen, fliegen Fliegen Fliegen nach. — Fliegen means 'flies' (insects), 'to fly', and 'flying' — all at once, relentlessly.
- Der Cottbuser Postkutscher putzt den Cottbuser Postkutschkasten. — A jaw-breaking compound-noun 'ts/tsch/sch' marathon — the German love of compound words w…
- Hinter Hermann Hannes Haus hängen hundert Hemden raus. — A relentless 'h' aspirate drill — every word opens with the same breathy attack.