When you learn Norwegian, you’ll quickly notice many words that look and sound just like English.

Some of these words share the exact same meaning in both languages.

Other words are what linguists call false friends.

A false friend is a word in a foreign language that looks or sounds like a word in your native language but means something completely different.

Using these words incorrectly can lead to very confusing conversations.

This guide covers the most common Norwegian and English false friends to help you avoid translation mistakes.

What are false friends?

False friends are words that trick you into thinking you already know their meaning.

They share similar spellings or pronunciations across two languages.

However, their actual definitions have drifted completely apart over time.

Norwegian and English share Germanic roots.

This shared linguistic history means there are many similar words between the two languages.

You must memorize these false friends early on to avoid awkward misunderstandings.

Fart (speed)

The Norwegian word fart is famously amusing to English speakers.

In Norwegian, this word translates directly to “speed” or “momentum”.

It has absolutely nothing to do with flatulence.

You’ll see this word on road signs all over Norway.

For example, the Norwegian word for “speed limit” is fartsgrense.

Gift (poison or married)

The word gift is another very common false friend.

In English, a gift is a nice present you give to someone.

In Norwegian, giving someone gift means you’re giving them poison.

It’s also the standard Norwegian adjective for being married.

If you want to talk about a present in Norwegian, you should use the word gave.

Barn (child)

You might think of a large red building on a farm when you see the word barn.

In Norwegian, barn translates to “child” or “children”.

It’s a very common everyday word that you’ll use constantly.

If you want to talk about a farm building in Norwegian, the correct word is låve.

Aktuell (relevant)

Many English speakers assume aktuell means “actual”.

This is a mistake that trips up many beginners.

In Norwegian, aktuell means “current”, “relevant”, or “topical”.

When you want to say “actual” in Norwegian, you should use faktisk or egentlig.

Eventuell (possible)

This word looks exactly like the English word “eventual”.

In Norwegian, eventuell actually means “possible” or “potential”.

It doesn’t mean something that will happen at the end of a process.

To say “eventual” or “finally” in Norwegian, you use the phrase til slutt.

Grine (cry)

In English, to grin means to smile widely.

In Norwegian, the verb å grine means to cry or weep.

This is the complete opposite of the English meaning.

If you want to say someone is smiling in Norwegian, you use the verb å smile.

Simpel (poor quality)

You might be tempted to use simpel when you mean “simple” or “easy”.

However, simpel in Norwegian usually means something is of poor quality, cheap, or mean-spirited.

It carries a negative meaning that you generally want to avoid.

The correct Norwegian word for “simple” or “easy” is enkel.

Blank (shiny)

The English word “blank” describes an empty space or an unmarked page.

In Norwegian, blank translates to “shiny” or “glossy”.

It’s often used to describe polished surfaces or bright objects.

To say something is blank or empty in Norwegian, you use the word tom.

Summary of Norwegian false friends

Here’s a quick reference table of the false friends we covered in this guide.