Words in foreign languages that make you laugh

[Skeptisk]

Sometimes foreign words are unintentionally funny when pronounced in English.

One I learnt today. The Mandarin word for second is pronounced “miao” (meow), so just like our word for the sound cats make.

“wk” is swing in German, although it doesn’t sound quite the same.

Vater often for a laugh in German class (sounds like it begins with an F)

Also between languages. Ano is year in Portuguese…but anus in Spanish!

Any other good ones?

[vixen1700]

Ever since doing Gernan at school, I've liked what they call a bat (as in animal, not cricket):

Fledermaus.

[croyde]

Skeptisk said:

Sometimes foreign words are unintentionally funny when pronounced in English.

One I learnt today. The Mandarin word for second is pronounced “miao” (meow), so just like our word for the sound cats make.

“wk” is swing in German, although it doesn’t sound quite the same.

Vater often for a laugh in German class (sounds like it begins with an F)

Also between languages. Ano is year in Portuguese…but anus in Spanish!

Any other good ones?

I know the German ones and must try the Mandarin at work as most there are from Beijing

I'll have to chip in about the Spanish though as a year is año or años for years.

Pronounced anyo or anyos.

[MitchT]

Naughty word!

[croyde]

[Skeptisk]

croyde said:

I know the German ones and must try the Mandarin at work as most there are from Beijing

I'll have to chip in about the Spanish though as a year is año or años for years.

Pronounced anyo or anyos.

Yes in Spanish it is anyo…but in Portuguese it is ano…which is also a word in Spanish but it means anus. A potential pitfall for Portuguese speakers speaking Spanish.

[croyde]

Amazing what a difference an accent over the letter makes

[Jim1064]

The Dutch word sinaasappelsap (orange juice) just sounds weird in English

[drmike37]

They can’t sell the Hyundai Kona in Portugal because it sounds identical to a vulgar slang word for female genitalia.

In German Kunstmuseum always makes me chuckle.

[kevinon]

Jim1064 said:

The Dutch word sinaasappelsap (orange juice) just sounds weird in English

I like pamplemousse - French for grapefruit. No logical explanation ; just like the sound of it

[Slow.Patrol]

Büstenhalter

Which is German for bra.

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Skeptisk said:

“wk” is swing in German

Er, it isn't.

The Dutch on the "Please wait here for assistance" signs in Schipol make me snigger like a schoolboy.

[toasty]

Sajt (pronounced ste) means cheese in Hungarian, Puszi (pronounced pussy) means kiss.

[Aunty Pasty]

Not exactly the same thing but years ago, Nintendo launched a game on one of their portables call "Touch Dictionary" which they abbreviated to "Touch Dic"

[shirt]

in Dutch, kok means cook or chef. Which is something you learn after seeing a sign for dirk’s kok and wondering wtf.

[JuanCarlosFandango]

I like the way things in Greek sound formal and dramatic when you relate it to English words, like taking the exodus from the ethnic odyssey (exit from a national highway).

And just about everything in Dutch.

[Mobile Chicane]

Slow.Patrol said:

Büstenhalter

Which is German for bra.

German is wonderfully literal. 'Büstenhalter' basically means 'tit holder'.

[s p a c e m a n]

Pippa sounds like the slang word for blowjob in greek

[ARFBY]

Having lived in Den Haag for six years, I had a feeling some Dutch words would appear here.

A dollop of SLAGROOM on my hot chocolate and a tablespoon of BASTERDSUIKER in my cake mix, will always bring back fond memories.

Also loved:A slug is Naaktslak = Naked snail

[nikaiyo2]

Dong in Veitnam, is obviously the currency even having spent years on and off there it makes me snigger like a 12 year old.