False Friends
Wie würden Sie diesen Satz übersetzen?
Wenn Sie spenden wollen, finden Sie die Kontonummer auf der Rückseite des Prospekts.
There are three false friends in this sentence – words that sound the same in English and German but mean something different. What you don’t say is: If you want to spend something you will find the account number on the backside o
the prospect.
1. Spenden sounds very much like the English ‘spend’. But ‘spend’ means ‘Geld ausgeben’ or shopping.
2. Backside is the English for “Hintern”.
3. Prospect is the English for “Aussicht”.
The correct translation of this sentence is:
“If you wish to donate money, you’ll find the account number on the back of the brochure.”