English and Scandinavian languages have, just like other languages, false friends and homonyms – words which look similar despite having different meanings.
I have already listed false friends in Scandinavian languages, and some homonyms in Finnish with other languages, specifically with Japanese and Italian, Some of them are really funny linguistic coincidences.
You might see and hear fart, fagperson, and pussi which do not mean what you’d think – Continue reading to avoid embarrassing confusion if you will travel to the Nordics!
Do not feel insulted if you hear these words in Scandinavia!
Slut – end
et Fag (Danish) – used to mean a specific topic or specialization, as German Fach.
Tvätt (Swedish)- washing
Slags – kind/type
Normal stuff, with misleading names
En Kock (Swedish) – a cook/chef
En Puss – a kiss; Pussi (Finnish) – a bag
Fart – speed
Bra – just ‘good’!
En Killing – A young goat in Sweden. Or a kitty if you are in Denmark.
Mad (Danish) – food.
Words that do not mean what it looks like… but in a bad way
Kiss – Do not be happy to receive kiss in Sweden. That means ‘pee’.
Gift – Do not accept a free gift in Scandinavia, you might get poisoned.
Full – Maybe it makes sense as you are full..of alcohol.
Dog – died (verb)
Even funnier combinations you’ll see when travelling in Scandinavia
Slutstation – You are not ending up in a bad neighborhood.. It is just the last stop.
Fartkontrol(l) – Nobody is gonna do weird checkups on you, but be careful when driving…
A Fagskole is a vocational school in Denmark. Fagperson is an expert in a given field. Fagslut at a Danish library is just the end of a specific topic on an aisle.
Sveriges Mästerkock is not a contest for the biggest **** in Sweden. It is the Swedish name of the cooking show Masterchef . It is a family-friendly show there as well, I promise!
Bonus false friends for speakers of Italian and German
Fika – a very recurring words in Both Swedish and Italian. Except that in Sweden it is a popular coffee break tradition involving pastries, whereas in italy a popular part of the female body.
Fickkalender (Swedish) – a pocket calendar sounds like a calendar for something else in German.
árslok – not an insult for Germans, but the end of the year in Icelandic.
Sources: Scandikitchen, Goetheinstitut on Instagram, Tayo826 on reddit, fartkontrol, archivegeo on tumblr (fagslut)
That was all for now. but more funny Scandinavian language facts will come.. so stay tuned.
ScanShop: Nordic supermarket in Luxemburg
I visited Scanshop, a supermarket for Nordic expats in Luxembourg and Belgium. It offers a wide range of Scandinavian food products, including rye bread, fish, and sweets, alongside flags and tableware.
Swedish Café in Utrecht: Broodnodig
In Utrecht, the cafe Broodnodig serves Swedish pastries and cakes as cinnamon and cardamom buns, kladdkaka, smulpaj and Scandinavian seasonal treats as semlor and saffron buns.
Illustrated Guide to Swedish Fika
Fika is a cherished Swedish tradition involving a coffee and cake break. Discover various Fika treats, from classic kanelbullar (cinnamon buns), cakes and cookies to savory options.
