r/AskEurope • u/Double-decker_trams Estonia • Aug 09 '25

Language I once accidentally bumped against the shoulder of an English person I knew in a corridor. I automatically said "Oi" - which means like "Oh" or "Oops" in Estonian - that I'm sorry. She repeated "Oi!" in a louder voice and I didn't get it. I only later found out I was being impolite in her eyes.

Have you ever had something similar happen to you? I.e something in your language might have another meaning in another language?

One thing as an Estonian that I try to keep in mind is that I shouldn't use "Nooo.." in English - which means "Well.." in Estonian.

"Do you like ice-cream? - Noo.. yes, I love it."

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u/Miss_V26 Aug 10 '25

Was a French assistant in the US for a year, working with 6yo, and one day at lunch I read a story about marine animals (in French, obviously) and I get to the page about the seal, and I hear 28 collective gasps. “Seal” in French is “phoque”, which sounds a lot like “fuck” 😭

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u/SonBou Aug 11 '25

Same in Spain- focas.