What's the deal with the German word "bekommen"?

False Friend in German: Real lexical frenemies – words that sound similar in two languages but have quite different meanings in each can really trip you up. Today’s false friends are the German “bekommen” and the English “to become”. Confusing these two can lead to particularly hilarious results:

– “bekommen” means “to get” or “to receive”
– “to become” means “to transform into” or “to turn into”

So, “Ich bekomme ein Baby” would NOT mean “I am turning into a baby”! And “I became a thirty-year-old on my birthday” most definitely should not sound like you RECEIVED a thirty-year-old for your birthday!

Rather, Germans use the word “werden” (e.g. “Wir werden Kollegen”) to express what they turn into.


Listen up, lurkers!

We filmed an entire beginner German course!


More cool stuff from Expath

The best ways to remember gender in German

How's your German? Take our free online test!

How to get a handle on childcare in Berlin

Join us for small online German classes for English speakers

How to go about finding a flat in Berlin and Germany

All the different ways to say you're exhausted in German

Want to work as a freelancer in Germany but need more info?

Want to live and work in Germany but not sure how to do it?

How to obtain an artist visa for Berlin

How do English speakers find jobs in Germany?

All of Expath's German "words of the day"

How to tell time in German