# English words that are one letter away from being curse words in other languages **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 31, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316 "2012-01-31T16:36:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CheeseDonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@CheeseDonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheeseDonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/1 "2012-01-31T16:36:38Z")
What are some non-swear English words that are one (or less) letters away from being a curse word in other languages? Also, slightly off-topic, but is there any difference a “curse word” and a “swear word”? We tend to use them interchangeably, but I was wondering if _technically_ they do not mean the exact same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/2 "2012-01-31T17:10:59Z")
Dam! ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/3 "2012-01-31T18:22:30Z")
The adjective fit, when imported into Norwegian and pluralized becomes the Norwegian c-word. Surprisingly this doesn’t prevent some people from using it. Fan is one letter away from the common Norwegian swear “Faen” (lit. the devil). ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/4 "2012-01-31T18:26:49Z")
verde (green in Spanish) is one little letter away from merde (shit in French). Oops - missed the part about “english” words. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/5 "2012-01-31T20:28:57Z")
When I was about 12 or 13 we went on a family holiday to Brittany in France. My little brother had a pair of Converse trainers on which had the legend ‘CONS’ on. I remember at least once walking past a group of natives who found them very funny. (Cons = c—ts in french.) ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/6 "2012-01-31T20:39:16Z")
[Mist](http://www.dict.cc/german-english/Mist.html). You don’t even have to change a letter. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/7 "2012-01-31T22:53:28Z")
Thai doesn’t use the Roman alphabet, so may not be eligible for OP’s question, but The sound “Rat” means _rhinoceros_ in Thai and is used as a cuss word. “Cheap pie” sounds almost just like another Thai cuss word. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/8 "2012-01-31T23:30:56Z")
> [@CheeseDonkey](#): > > Also, slightly off-topic, but is there any difference a “curse word” and a “swear word”? We tend to use them interchangeably, but I was wondering if _technically_ they do not mean the exact same thing. If it’s in the OP, it _is_ the topic 🙂 “Swear” and “curse” mean the same thing applied to words, which is that the speaker is wishing a bad thing to happen to the recipient, usually by appealing to divine or other supernatural forces. These terms are more generally applied to any vulgar or inappropriate language. Someone yelling, “Oh shit!” isn’t addressing anyone in particular, but we call it swearing due to the offensiveness. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/9 "2012-01-31T23:37:01Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > If it’s in the OP, it _is_ the topic 🙂 “Swear” and “curse” mean the same thing applied to words, which is that the speaker is wishing a bad thing to happen to the recipient, usually by appealing to divine or other supernatural forces. These terms are more generally applied to any vulgar or inappropriate language. Someone yelling, “Oh shit!” isn’t addressing anyone in particular, but we call it swearing due to the offensiveness. Mmm…I think that technically “swear” refers to taking God’s name in vain or other profanity (in the traditional sense of the word), while “curse” is the one wishing ill on someone or something else. So if I drop an anvil on my toe, I might say “OHMYFUCKINGJESUSFUCKINGCHRIST” (swear) DAMMITDAMMITDAMMIT (curse) THAT FUCKING HURTS!!! (ejaculation). ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/10 "2012-02-01T02:17:22Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > Mmm…I think that technically “swear” refers to taking God’s name in vain or other profanity (in the traditional sense of the word), while “curse” is the one wishing ill on someone or something else. > > So if I drop an anvil on my toe, I might say “OHMYFUCKINGJESUSFUCKINGCHRIST” (swear) DAMMITDAMMITDAMMIT (curse) THAT FUCKING HURTS!!! (ejaculation). For [swear](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/swear)see sense 4; for [curse](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/curse) see senses 11, 12. See also [blaspheme](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/blaspheme). ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/11 "2012-02-01T11:29:05Z")
> [@naita](#): > > The adjective fit, when imported into Norwegian and pluralized becomes the Norwegian c-word. Surprisingly this doesn’t prevent some people from using it. > > Fan is one letter away from the common Norwegian swear “Faen” (lit. the devil). And in Swedish the word is “Fan” so you don’t have to change a thing. “Fitta” gets two Ts though. I was amused when a Facebook friend joined this group: > **[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fitta-Bodies-Personal-Training/127765220572320)** Edited to add: “Pitt” means “dick”, so one letter from “Pit” and also makes Brad Pitt’s name very funny. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/12 "2012-02-01T11:49:47Z")
> [@These are my own pants](#): > > When I was about 12 or 13 we went on a family holiday to Brittany in France. My little brother had a pair of Converse trainers on which had the legend ‘CONS’ on. I remember at least once walking past a group of natives who found them very funny. Oh yes, we French also have endless fun with American “neocons”. Or, to us, “new idiots”. “con” originally designated the female genitalia as you say\*, and some people still use it in that sense ; but for the most part its meaning has shifted to variations on the “idiot” and/or “unpleasant person” theme. - in case you’re interested, and stranger things have happened: it’s a diminutive of “connet”, a Medieval word meaning rabbit. The word was borrowed from the Spanish “conejo”, meaning rabbit (and female genitalia) as well. Why did we ever equate rabbits and muff ? Search me - why pussy ? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/13 "2012-02-01T11:52:12Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > And in Swedish the word is “Fan” so you don’t have to change a thing. “Fitta” gets two Ts though. In Norwegian as well, but when a group of people are fit, Norwegian spelling and grammar rules turns the loan word fit into fitte. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/14 "2012-02-01T11:52:29Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > “Pitt” means “dick”, so one letter from “Pit” and also makes Brad Pitt’s name very funny. Oh, speaking of which, “bite” is also slang for dick in French. Spelled, but not pronounced the same. The word “bit” \*is \*pronounced the same however, leading to much giggling in middle school computer class when the teacher starts talking about mega bits. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/15 "2012-02-01T12:31:01Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Oh, speaking of which, “bite” is also slang for dick in French. Spelled, but not pronounced the same. > The word “bit” \*is \*pronounced the same however, leading to much giggling in middle school computer class when the teacher starts talking about mega bits. Well not exactly pronounced the same, but I could see where a French speaker would think so. The short “i” sound doesn’t really have an analogue. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/16 "2012-02-01T12:34:37Z")
“Fick” is German for “fuck”. So we have dick, pick, sick etc. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/17 "2012-02-01T13:05:05Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > “Pitt” means “dick”, so one letter from “Pit” and also makes Brad Pitt’s name very funny. And he is aware of it, I’m told. ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/18 "2012-02-01T13:27:29Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Well not exactly pronounced the same, but I could see where a French speaker would think so. The short “i” sound doesn’t really have an analogue. But “bit” is also a French word, and it is indeed pronounced exactly like “bite”. Also from French: “Cull” is one letter away from “cul” (ass). “Put in” (does this count?) is one letter away from “putain” (bitch, damn) ---
**Author:** ![Aghris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecccb3/32.png) [@Aghris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aghris)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/19 "2012-02-01T14:25:13Z")
I’m Dutch and my bank is called the Rabobank. When I was in Spain a few years ago most shops had to snigger when I showed them my bank card, as ‘rabo’ is apparently slang for ‘cock’ in Spanish (lit. ‘tail’). I guess spending money from a dick bank is kinda funny. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316/20 "2012-02-01T15:22:33Z")
> [@Cartoonacy](#): > > [Mist](http://www.dict.cc/german-english/Mist.html). You don’t even have to change a letter. And that’s why the [Rolls Royce Silver Shadow wasn’t called “Silver Mist”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Silver_Shadow): [Quote=Wikipedia] Initially, the model was planned to be called “Silver Mist”, a natural progression from its predecessor Silver Cloud. The name was changed to “Silver Shadow” after realizing that “mist” is the German word for manure, rubbish, or dirt.] [/Quote] [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-are-one-letter-away-from-being-curse-words-in-other-languages/611316.md?page=2)