English words used incorrectly in your native language

[Chrisinom]

There are some English words that are used incorrectly in German. Sometimes that can be quite embarrassing when you use them with native English speakers. It would be interesting to learn about that in other languages. Here are some examples from German:
Beamer - projector
Body bag - a small bag worn close to the body, smaller than a backpack
Castingshow - talent show
Fitnessstudio - gym
Handy - cell phone, mobile
Happy end - happy ending
Kicker - table football, bar football
Oldtimer - antique car, vintage car
Public viewing - public streaming of live events
Shootingstar - high flyer
Streetworker - social worker in a troubled neighborhood
Talkmaster - chat show host
Talkshow - chat show
Twen - twentysomething
There are also incorrect literal translations of German words into English. A famous example is the German word "Unternehmer" (entrepreneur, businessman / - woman. Unter is under in English, nehmen is take, thus Unternehmer is undertaker.

[Explorer]

In Spanish:

• Hacer footing: running
• Zapping / zapear: channel surfing
• Alto standing: high class

[Chrisinom]

Zapping / Zappen is also used in German

[Rickiefl]

Don’t worry…..loads of native English speakers use words incorrectly!!
I think most of these wrong uses would be understood by English speakers except maybe Handy and Kicker, which I only recognise from studying German.

[water_color]

1. Smoking. In Russian, this word is used as a noun meaning "tuxedo". So Russians learning English need to remember that "I am wearing a smoking" won't be understood.
2. Happy end. Same as in German, it means happy ending.
3. For some reason, Play Store is called "Play Market" in Russian (but in this case it would make some sense in English too, I think).

[John238922]

here are some common English meanings

Here are some examples from German:
Beamer - projector BMW car
Body bag - a small bag worn close to the body, smaller than a backpack large bag to contain dead bodies
Castingshow - talent show not recognisable
Fitnessstudio - gym recognisable
Handy - cell phone, mobile not recognisable
Happy end - happy ending
Kicker - table football, bar football not recognisable
Oldtimer - antique car, vintage car recognisable
Public viewing - public streaming of live events
Shootingstar - high flyer a shootingstar is one that fizzles out
Streetworker - social worker in a troubled neighborhood prostitute
Talkmaster - chat show host
Talkshow - chat show recognisable
Twen - twentysomething not recognisable

[sandygaletoo]

here are some common English meanings

Here are some examples from German:
Beamer - projector BMW car
Body bag - a small bag worn close to the body, smaller than a backpack large bag to contain dead bodies
Castingshow - talent show not recognisable
Fitnessstudio - gym recognisable
Handy - cell phone, mobile not recognisable
Happy end - happy ending
Kicker - table football, bar football not recognisable
Oldtimer - antique car, vintage car recognisable
Public viewing - public streaming of live events
Shootingstar - high flyer a shootingstar is one that fizzles out
Streetworker - social worker in a troubled neighborhood prostitute
Talkmaster - chat show host
Talkshow - chat show recognisable
Twen - twentysomething not recognisable

I would add that 'Oldtimer' also refers to an older person, i.e., someone who has been around a long time in English.
'Streetworker' is one that my first thought was a construction worker working on roads, pipes, communication lines.
'Twen' actually makes sense to me, and is not one that I have heard in German.

Thank you for an thought-provoking topic

[Corinnebelle]

I would add that 'Oldtimer' also refers to an older person, i.e., someone who has been around a long time in English.
'Streetworker' is one that my first thought was a construction worker working on roads, pipes, communication lines.
'Twen' actually makes sense to me, and is not one that I have heard in German.

Thank you for an thought-provoking topic

A streetworker sounds like someone that sweeps the streets.

[wayfarer]

Streetworker often means prostitute in some English speaking countries!

[Chrisinom]

[mention]sandygaletoo[/mention] "Twen' actually makes sense to me, and is not one that I have heard in German."
In fact it's not used so much today. There was a magazine of that title in the 1960s.

[Deleted User 3754]

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[sandygaletoo]

Streetworker often means prostitute in some English speaking countries!

True, but not a definition which first came to my mind. This is most likely due to my working with construction workers & at construction sites. Many interpretations are coloured by one's own experiences ...

[John238922]

'Streetworker' is one that my first thought was a construction worker working on roads, pipes, communication lines.

Roadworker fits there

A streetworker sounds like someone that sweeps the streets.

And streetsweeper, a person or machine