If a cab driver suddenly said “fart” you would probably be shocked, confused… or maybe embarrassed, but in Germany, this is normal. In German, fahrt means that you are nearing your destination and has nothing to do with breaking wind.
But can you imagine the embarrassment if you accidentally said something that sounded dirty? It’s very common to have English words that sound like words in other languages. Sometimes it can be helpful because they have similar meanings, sometimes it isn’t helpful because the meanings are different, and sometimes this results in some shocked looks because it sounds dirty.
Below we’ve narrowed down 10 English words that have dirty or profane meanings in other countries. Hopefully, this can save you some embarrassment in your travels. Or, maybe you will find that using some of these words may actually be useful in the right situation.
10.) Portugal: Payday
Sometimes when we travel (depending on how long our holiday is), our travel dates will coincide with our pay schedule. It’s always a nice surprise when you check your bank account and see that your paycheck was deposited, and you have that cushion of financial security for any unexpected travel expenses that may pop up.
While you’re in Portugal though, maybe keep your excitement to yourself. You’ll be eager to share the good news with your travel buddies when you see that unexpected bank alert, but know that if you say the word payday in public, it could cause people to laugh and walk away plugging their noses. In Portugal, payday sounds like their word for “I passed gas,” which is peidei.
So, we’ve just started this and already we’ve made two references to farting. That’s not a very good start. Let’s switch gears to something more romantic.
9.) Sweden: Kiss
Maybe you’re walking around with your partner, or you see a couple in love holding hands strolling down an alley in Stockholm. You romantically ask your partner to kiss you, or you innocently encourage the couple in love to kiss. Locals begin to look at you with a look of disgust and you aren’t sure why.
Well, when kiss is pronounced, it sounds a little too familiar to the Swedish word kissa, which means pee. In Sweden, kissa is probably not the best word choice if you’re trying to evoke romance.
However, if you need to use the facilities maybe you can just say “I need to kiss.” Either you will be shown where the toilet is or something else will happen. It’s hard to pick which outcome is better.
8.) Norway: Pick
Perhaps you’re shopping and hold up two shirts and ask the sales associate to pick her favorite. Or, you ask a waiter which of two entrees they would pick. While this can be a great way to get someone else’s opinion, if you’re in Norway, using the word “pick” may not be the best idea.
When traveling to Norway, it’s probably best to use either the word “choose” or “select”, and omit “pick” from your vocabulary for your stay. In Norway, pick sounds like their word pikk which is their word for a male’s private parts.
Speaking of body parts you won’t believe how mixed up the French are.
7.) France: Face
If you point to your face while saying the word face, the French will think you need to return to grade school to relearn where your body parts are.
In France, the word fesse is pronounced just like the American word face, but instead of meaning the face, it means the rear end. Locals will likely know this is just an English grammar oversight but that won’t stop them from using this as an opportunity to tease you and break out into laughter.
But, don’t take this good-natured teasing too personally, they’re just talking out of their fesse. If it does get to you, just sent it down and enjoy a delicious cookie.
6.) Hungary: Cookie
Europe is known for its delicious pastries and desserts. Because of that, it’s how we want to start every morning and end every meal abroad, especially when there are countless options of bakeries to choose from! In Hungary, while that flat, circle dessert behind the counter may look like a cookie it’s be careful what you ask for.
It’s easy to say the word cookie without even thinking twice, but in Hungary, the word koki is pronounced the same way. And unlike our definition, their koki means a smaller than normal pecker.
Of course if you’er a guy with a Hungarian girlfriend this knowledge could have big changes to your relationship. That might be a good pitch for a reality TV show.
5.) Turkey: Pitch
Istanbul is known to be a hub for business executive travel. If your company sends you to Turkey to work out negotiations and sets you up with a series of meetings, avoid referring to anything as a pitch – your business’ reputation is at stake!
If you do slip and use the word, your company may think twice about sending you on their next business trip. That’s because, in Turkey, the word pic is pronounced similarly and to them, that word translates to the word bastard.
So, if you are a musician Turkey may not be the best place to brag about your perfect pitch.. Seriously, this must be a real challenge for musicians. If you are a musician you may be better off playing your music in the city of lights.
4.) France: Preservatives
Trying to decipher a foreign food label is no easy feat. On the off chance that you have a question about what preservatives are in a food, try to find a different word to use.
In France, préservatif translates to the word condom so if you ask about a preservative, you’re likely to be met with laughter and a confused look from the innocent local you pulled aside about why you were asking them if there was a condom in your food.
If you do happen to find some preservative-free foods remember to practice safe snacking and use a condiment. Silly puns aside, while this could result in embarrassment, knowing this French word can also be very useful in a romantic city like Paris.
BONUS: French isn’t the only language in which preservative sounds like the word for condom. Both Russian and Ukranian also have the same effect.
3.) Korea: Salsa
While it may be hard to come across Mexican cuisine in Korea, you never know what you will stumble upon or what craving will hit you. If you don’t want to clear out a room, or if you don’t want people on the street to run away from you, keep your salsa preferences to yourself while traveling in Korea.
If you want sauce, call it what it is – sauce. If you say salsa in Korea, locals will think you are saying seolsa, which translates to diarrhea in their language.
If you happen to be a professional salsa dancer and choose to visit Korea, I imagine you’ll have quite a few interesting conversations.
2.) Germany: Puff
Saying puff in Germany (even in passing) could get you into some trouble. In many European cities seeing a cloud of smoke or seeing locals smoking cigarettes on the street is a common occurrence.
If you’re walking along the street in Germany, don’t be tempted to comment on that puff of a cigarette the local just took or that puff of smoke in the sky. In Germany, this translates to the word brothel and if we had to guess, a brothel isn’t a part of your travel plans of where you want to end up.
Ok, so we have one left. So far we have talked about farms, various body parts, and now a brothel. Let’s head over to the land of tulips and windmills to see if we can have a lull from this linguistic craziness.
1.) Netherlands: Lull
If you are traveling in Holland and one of your dutch friends has a cranky infant you may want to volunteer to help lull the baby to sleep. However, it’s probably best not to say it quite that way.
While the English word lull is spelled (and pronounced) incredibly close to the Dutch version of lul, the two words couldn’t be more opposite. In Dutch, lul means a male’s genitals, which is certainly not what you meant.
While these are our 10 favorite words there are many other words just like them. While it’s great to be able to avoid embarrassing yourself while traveling it’s also best not to get too hung up and over think it. Part of the fun of traveling is
Do you have a story to share about a word you said abroad that wasn’t received how it was meant to? If so, we want to hear! Share your story below and help other travelers not make the same language faux pas that you did.
