Gift or Geschenk?
a2The most expensive false friend in German: English gift is Geschenk, while German Gift means poison. Both come from „geben“ (to give) - what you hand someone, for good or ill.
das Gift
A substance that harms or kills. Never a present. Related: giftig, vergiften, Giftschlange.
Die Schlange hat starkes Gift.The snake has strong venom.
das Geschenk
What English gift means. You give someone a Geschenk, or schenken something.
Das Geschenk war eingepackt.The present was wrapped.
The mistake
Ich habe ein schönes Gift für dich.
Ich habe ein schönes Geschenk für dich.
The wrong sentence announces a poisoning. In German „Gift“ is exclusively the opposite of a present.
Rule of thumb
Picture it: in German, Gift is on the bottle with the skull, not under the Christmas tree.
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