Mistakes from real English
signs from around the world
Look sat these mistakes from actual
English signs from around the world. Try to understand what they
accidentally ACTUALLY said, and also what they were TRYING to say.
On a traffic light pole:
TO CROSS STREET PUSH BUTTON AT NIGHT.
~This sentence ACTUALLY means:
If
you want to walk across the street, you must wait until it is night.
Then you can push this button.
If
you want to walk across the street, you should push the button that
says "night".
You
cannot walk across the street at night.
If
you want to walk across the street at night, you must push this button.
On a traffic light pole:
TO CROSS STREET PUSH BUTTON AT NIGHT.
~What do you think they were TRYING to say?
If
you want to walk across the street, you must wait until it is night.
Then you can push this button.
If
you want to walk across the street, you should push the button that
says "night".
You
cannot walk across the street at night.
If
you want to walk across the street at night, you must push this button.
A sign in a Norwegian cocktail
lounge:
LADIES ARE REQUESTED NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN AT THE BAR.
~This sentence can ACTUALLY mean:
We
are asking that women never give birth to a baby in this bar.
We
are asking that women never bring their children into this bar.
We
are asking that women never bar their children from this lounge.
We
are asking that women never bar children from cocktails.
A sign in a Norwegian cocktail
lounge:
LADIES ARE REQUESTED NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN AT THE BAR.
~What do you think they were TRYING to say?
We
are asking that women never give birth to a baby in this bar.
We
are asking that women never bring their children into this bar.
We
are asking that women never bar their children from this lounge.
We
are asking that women never bar children from cocktails.
On a yellow caution sign:
CAREFULLY FALL INTO THE RIVER.
~This sentence ACTUALLY means:
You
must be careful so that you do not fall into the river.
You
must be careful because this river has a waterfall.
You
must fall into the river, and while you are doing that you must be
careful.
If
you care about the river, you will not fall into it.
On a yellow caution sign:
CAREFULLY FALL INTO THE RIVER.
~What do you think they were TRYING to say?
You
must be careful so that you do not fall into the river.
You
must be careful because this river has a waterfall.
You
must fall into the river, and while you are doing that you must be
careful.
If
you care about the river, you will not fall into it.
Hotel sign:
VISITORS ARE EXPECTED TO COMPLAIN IN THE OFFICE BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9
AND 11 A.M. DAILY.
~This sentence ACTUALLY means:
People
who visit our office between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. should expect to have a
complaint.
People
who visit our office every day between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. should expect
us to complain.
Every
visitor here should come to our office every day between 9 a.m. and 11
a.m. and you should complain to us.
Visitors
who have any concerns or complaints should come to the office bettween
9 a.m. and 11 a.m. to tell us.
Hotel sign:
VISITORS ARE EXPECTED TO COMPLAIN IN THE OFFICE BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9
AND 11 A.M. DAILY.
~What do you think they were TRYING to say?
People
who visit our office between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. should expect to have a
complaint.
People
who visit our office every day between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. should expect
us to complain.
Every
visitor here should come to our office every day between 9 a.m. and 11
a.m. to complain to us.
Visitors
who have any concerns or complaints should come to the office bettween
9 a.m. and 11 a.m. to tell us.
Sign in a Paris hotel:
PLEASE LEAVE YOUR VALUES AT THE FRONT DESK
~This ACTUALLY means:
Please
leave the hotel now. And stop by the front desk.
Please
leave your valuable posessions at the front desk so that they will be
safe.
Please
leave all of your personal morals and values at the front desk as you
walk into this hotel.
Please
come see how valuable the front desk is.
Sign in a Paris hotel:
PLEASE LEAVE YOUR VALUES AT THE FRONT DESK.
~What do you think they were TRYING to say?
Please
leave the hotel now. And stop by the front desk.
Please
leave your valuable posessions at the front desk so that they will be
safe.
Please
leave all of your personal morals and values at the front desk as you
walk into this hotel.
Please
come see how valuable the front desk is.
Sign in a Tokyo taxi cab:
PLEASE FASTEN SEATBELT TO PREPARE FOR CRASH.
~This sentence ACTUALLY means:
Please
put on your seat belt to get ready for paying money.
Please
put on your seat belt because we are about to have a wreck.
Please
put on your seat belt just in case we have a wreck.
Please
quickly prepare to put on your seatbelt.
Sign in a Tokyo taxi cab:
PLEASE FASTEN SEATBELT TO PREPARE FOR CRASH.
~What do you think they were TRYING to say?
Please
put on your seat belt to get ready for paying money.
Please
put on your seat belt because we are about to have a wreck.
Please
put on your seat belt just in case we have a wreck.
Please
quickly prepare to put on your seatbelt.
On a cash register:
SORRY. WE CANNOT CHANGE!
~This sentence ACTUALLY means:
Sorry.
We cannot ever be any different than we are now.
Sorry.
We cannot make exchanges after you have made your purchase.
Sorry.
We cannot make change for larger bills.
Sorry.
We cannot change you.
On a cash register:
SORRY. WE CANNOT CHANGE!
~What do you think they were TRYING to say?
Sorry.
We cannot ever be any different than we are now.
Sorry.
We cannot make exchanges after you have made your purchase.
Sorry.
We cannot make change for larger bills.
Sorry.
We cannot change you.
From the instructions on an
action figure toy:
BEWARE OF BEING SWALLOWED BY CHILD, DUE TO SMALL PARTS!
~This sentence ACTUALLY means:
Be
careful to make sure that a child does not swallow you because of the
small pieces of this toy.
Be
careful to make sure children do not swallow any of the small pieces of
this toy.
Be
careful to make sure you do not swallow any children because of the
small pieces of this toy.
From the instructions on an
action figure toy:
BEWARE OF BEING SWALLOWED BY CHILD, DUE TO SMALL PARTS!
~What do you think they were TRYING to say?
Be
careful to make sure that a child does not swallow you because of the
small pieces of this toy.
Be
careful to make sure children do not swallow any of the small pieces of
this toy.
Be
careful to make sure you do not swallow any children because of the
small pieces of this toy.
A sign in a restaurant
restroom:
EMPLOYEES MUST WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER EACH USE.
~This sentence ACTUALLY means:
People
who work for this restaurant must wash their hands after they use the
restroom.
Every
time you use the restroom, people who work for this restaurant must
wash your hands.
People
who own this restaurant must wash their hands after they use the
restroom.
Every
time you use the restroom, people who own this restaurant must wash
your hands.
A sign in a restaurant
restroom:
EMPLOYEES MUST WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER EACH USE.
~What do you think they were TRYING to say?
People
who work for this restaurant must wash their hands after they use the
restroom.
Every
time you use the restroom, people who work for this restaurant must
wash your hands.
People
who own this restaurant must wash their hands after they use the
restroom.
Every
time you use the restroom, people who own this restaurant must wash
your hands.
A sign at a small health
clinic:
IF YOU SEE A WOMAN LABORING, GO TO A HOSPITAL RIGHT AWAY!
~This sentence ACTUALLY means:
If
you see a woman working hard, you must visit a hospital immediately.
If
you see a woman working hard, she must go to a hospital immediately.
If
you see a pregnant woman who is beginning to give birth to her baby,
you must visit a hospital immediately.
If
you see a pregnant woman who is beginning to give birth to her baby,
she must visit a hospital immediately.
A sign at a small health
clinic:
IF YOU SEE A WOMAN LABORING, GO TO A HOSPITAL RIGHT AWAY!
~What do you think they were TRYING to say?
If
you see a woman working hard, you must visit a hospital immediately.
If
you see a woman working hard, she must go to a hospital immediately.
If
you see a pregnant woman who is beginning to give birth to her baby,
you must visit a hospital immediately.
If
you see a pregnant woman who is beginning to give birth to her baby,
she must visit a hospital immediately.