100 False Friends: Norwegian Words that are not like their English lookalikes.
Not every Norwegian word is a walk in the park for English speakers. In order to combat that I’ve collected a list of the easiest words to get wrong if you go by spelling alone.
*a “False Friend” is a word that looks completely the same or very similar in Norwegian and English but still have different meanings.
| Norwegian | | False Friend | | Correct Translation | |
| advokat | advocate | lawyer | |
| akkurat | accurate | exactly | |
| aktuell | actual | current, topical | |
| altså | also | therefore | |
| anger | anger | regret | |
| annonse | announce | advertisement | |
| art | art | species | |
| bak | back | butt | |
| bare | bare | only | |
| barn | barn | child/children | |
| be | be | to pray | |
| billion | billion | trillion | |
| blankett | blanket | form (to fill in) | |
| blek | bleak | pale | |
| bra | bra | good, well | |
| dam | dam | puddle | |
| dog | dog | still, but | |
| dress | dress | suit | |
| etikett | etiquette | label | |
| eventuelt | eventual | possibly | |
| fabrikk | fabric | factory | |
| fabrikk | fabric | factory | |
| fang | fang | lap, catch | |
| far | far | father | |
| fart | fart | speed | |
| fart | fart | speed | |
| fest | feast | party | |
| genial | genial | genius | |
| gift | gift | married / poison | |
| gift | gift | poison, married | |
| gjespe | gasp | yawn | |
| god | God | good | |
| grine | grin | cry, sulk | |
| gyldig | gilded | valid | |
| haike | hike | hitchhike | |
| Handle | handle | to act, to shop | |
| harm | harm | angry | |
| Hav | have | ocean | |
| hell | hell | luck | |
| høyskole | high school | college | |
| kinn | kin | cheek | |
| klosett | closet | lavatory | |
| koke | cook | boil | |
| kokk | *bad word* | cook | |
| kondisjon | condition | cardio | |
| konkurrent | concurrent | competitior | |
| konsekvent | consequent | consistent(ly) | |
| kraft | craft | force, power | |
| kritikk | critiq | criticism, critique | |
| likør | liquor | liqueur | |
| lykke | luck | happiness | |
| lykkelig | lucky | happy / blissful | |
| lystig | lusty | merry | |
| mappe | map | folder | |
| more | more | have fun | |
| mosjon | motion | exercice | |
| novelle | novel | short story | |
| offer | offer | sacrifice, victim | |
| overhode | overhead | (not) at all | |
| oversikt | oversight | overview | |
| overta | overtake | take over | |
| pass | pass | passport | |
| pensel | pencil | paintbrush | |
| permisjon | permission |
leave (from work/the army etc)
|
|
| publikum | public | audience | |
| pupp | pupp(y) | breast | |
| puppe | pupp(y) | pupa, chrysalis | |
| rare | rare | strange (plural) | |
| reise | raise | travel/journey | |
| rente | rent | interest (financial) | |
| resept | receipt | prescription | |
| roman | Roman | novell | |
| sky | sky | cloud | |
| slips | slip | tie | |
| spare | spare | save (money) | |
| stek | steak | fry | |
| svamp | swamp | sponge | |
| ta en tur | take a hike | take a trip | |
| tell | tell | count | |
| tolv | toll | twelve | |
| trapp | trapp | staircase | |
| truck | truck | forklift | |
| vink | wink | wave |
Maybe you were aware of some of these unfortunate lookalikes already?
This list shouldn’t scare you off from learning Norwegian though. As any language will come with it’s challanges along the way!
