Accidental Obscenity
» Embarrassing
From an amusing list of words whose meaning shift considerably from one language to another.
Spaniards travelling in Russian-speaking areas are particularly at risk: the sound of a Spanish sigh - a breathy “hui” - is one of the most vulgar words for “penis” in Russian.
Russia can also be a dangerous place for speakers of Slovenian when pointing to the scenery. In Ljubljana, the word for “seagull” is “sraka”. In Moscow however, this means “arse”.
Dutch speakers, meanwhile, should exercise caution in Poland. The Dutch for “peanut” is “pinda” - a particularly offensive Polish term for female genitalia.
When words can get you into trouble
