Débora
What is an English word that has a totally different meaning in a foreign language?
In Brazilian Portuguese


Outdoors means Billboard

a " Smoking” is actually a “tuxedo” in Brazil

Shopping means Mall

Top is a slang that means “great, amazing, excellent, awesome” 

Brother means buddy, homie. 
Apr 11, 2018 7:13 PM
Comments · 20
4
"Stepping out to smoke a fag" has totally different meanings in US and UK English.  
April 11, 2018
3
A couple of expressions which I've seen in Slovak are nonstop (=open 24hrs) and dres (=a footballer's jersey). My family name sounds like a vulgar word in Slovak, too.  I won't tell the whole story of how I found that out, but just imagine a long, deathly silence followed by gales of laughter.   O_o 

I also discovered, mid-lesson, that žiadný čas (no time) sounds like жадный час to Russian ears: "greedy o'clock"?! :D
April 12, 2018
3
The English word 'book' sounds exactly like 'buk' in Polish language, which means the kind of tree:  beech
April 11, 2018
3
Comedor, in spanish means something like a dining room, place to eat... in portuguese it means a gentleman who concluded with success a bodily demonstration of affection towards another human being :)
April 11, 2018
2
Yes Débora. Smoking means Tuxedo. And I found out it's the same in other Slavic languages and also in German 
https://pl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking?wprov=sfla1

BTW. I didn't know it is called tuxedo in English so I had to check it before I commented your discussion  :-)

And just a joke about Polish-English false friends:
- I had to see the dentist while being in UK. I showed him the aching tooth saying 'Tu' (means 'here' in Polish, pronounced like English 'two') and he removed two teeth!
- You should be happy that you didn't say 'Ten' ( means 'This one' in Polish). 
April 14, 2018
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