Some Dutch words look exactly like English words but mean something else: _slim_ means clever, not thin, and _een kind_ is a child, not a nice person. These look-alikes are called false friends: words that seem familiar but quietly lead you astray. The way to beat them is to learn each one as a pair, with a short example sentence you can picture.
The pattern
A false friend is a Dutch word that looks like an English word but has a different meaning. Learn its real meaning together with the Dutch word for the English meaning.
- _slim_ = clever (English slim is _slank_)
- _eventueel_ = possibly, if needed (eventually is _uiteindelijk_)
- _actueel_ = current, up to date (actually is usually _eigenlijk_)
- _brutaal_ = cheeky, bold in a rude way (brutal is _wreed_ or _bruut_)
- _het kind_ = child (kind is _aardig_)
- _het monster_ = sample (it can also mean a monster)
- _door_ = through, or by (a door is _de deur_)
- _bellen_ = to phone, to ring a bell (for call meaning give a name, use _noemen_)
Examples
| Mei is heel slim: ze spreekt vier talen. | Mei is very clever: she speaks four languages. |
|---|---|
| Yara kan eventueel op zaterdag werken. | Yara can work on Saturday if needed. |
| Is dit telefoonnummer nog actueel? | Is this phone number still up to date? |
| Die meeuw is echt brutaal: hij heeft mijn broodje gestolen! | That seagull is really cheeky: it stole my sandwich! |
| Lotte heeft een kind van drie. | Lotte has a three-year-old child. |
| Ik heb bij de drogist een gratis monster gekregen. | I got a free sample at the chemist's. |
| We fietsen door het park naar huis. | We cycle home through the park. |
| Deze taart is door Fatima gemaakt. | This cake was made by Fatima. |
| Ik bel je vanavond even. | I'll give you a quick call tonight. |
| Er wordt gebeld! Doe jij even open? | Someone's at the door! Can you get it? |
Why it works this way
Dutch and English are close relatives, so they share hundreds of old words. Over the centuries, some of those words drifted apart. English even borrowed _slim_ from Dutch in the 1600s, and then each language took it in a different direction. Dutch _door_ is related to English "through", while English "door" is related to Dutch _deur_: same letters, crossed wires. You will meet _door_ meaning by again in [the passive](#/lesson/passive).
Another group came into Dutch from French. _Eventueel_ and _actueel_ kept the French meanings: possibly and current. Good news if you speak Spanish or German: Spanish "actual" and German "aktuell" also mean current, and German "eventuell" means possibly. German speakers have their own trap, though: _slim_ looks like "schlimm" but means clever, and _brutaal_ is much milder than German "brutal".
You will see _eventueel_ a lot in letters from the _gemeente_, often as _eventuele_: _Bij eventuele vragen kunt u ons bellen_ simply means "If you have any questions, you can call us." And when the GP asks for _een urinemonster_, relax: it is a sample, nothing scary.
Learning pairs works because the trap and the way out are stored together. [How to learn Dutch grammar so it sticks](#/lesson/how-to-learn-grammar) has more ways to make words stay.
Remember: same face, different job. When a Dutch word looks just like an English one, you recognise the face, but check the job before you trust it.
Watch out
- Not: _Eventueel heb ik een baan gevonden._ Say: _Uiteindelijk heb ik een baan gevonden._ (eventually, meaning in the end, is _uiteindelijk_)
- Not: _Actueel wil ik liever thee._ Say: _Eigenlijk wil ik liever thee._ (actually is _eigenlijk_; _actueel_ means current)
- Not: _Kun je de door even dichtdoen?_ Say: _Kun je de deur even dichtdoen?_ (a door is _de deur_; _door_ means through or by)
- Not: _Iedereen belt me Bas._ Say: _Iedereen noemt me Bas._ (_bellen_ is for phone calls and bells; giving a name is _noemen_)
Quick check
- Choose: _Na drie keer heb ik ... mijn rijbewijs gehaald._ (_eventueel_ / _uiteindelijk_)
- What does _Deze brief is door de gemeente gestuurd_ mean? (a) This letter was sent to the council. (b) This letter was sent by the council.
- Fix the verb: _Wij bellen onze hond Max._
- What does _Zijn uw gegevens nog actueel?_ mean? (a) Are your details actually correct? (b) Are your details still up to date?
Answers
- _uiteindelijk_ (it means in the end; _eventueel_ means possibly)
- (b) (_door_ before the one who does the action means by)
- _Wij noemen onze hond Max._ (naming is _noemen_; _bellen_ needs a phone or a bell)
- (b) (_actueel_ means current, not actually)
Use it today
Make three flashcards, each with one pair and a sentence of your own, for example: _slim_ means clever, and English slim is _slank_. Then use one out loud today, perhaps by telling a colleague that the seagulls in town are _brutaal_.