That Came Out Wrong.
Cover of That Came Out Wrong, Vol. 5: Home Sweet Home. The line on the cover reads “I'm looking for a location for six months, near the Tube.”

English edition · B1–C1

That Came Out Wrong · Vol. 5Home Sweet Home

20 darkly funny English false friends at home, and how never to say them again.

For French, Spanish and Italian speakers. Written in clear English.

  • “So, when do I get my caution back?”
  • “It's down in the cave, next to the wine.”
  • “He's nice, but he's a bit lunatic.”

If you're a French, Spanish or Italian speaker renting or living in an English-speaking country, you may have said something like this. Everyone around you heard something very different.

Vol. 5 turns 20 classic false friends into short illustrated stories about flat hunting, landlords, flatmates and neighbours. Each story fits on a double page: the scene, the line that came out wrong, what the speaker meant and what everyone heard, three correct ways to say it, and one line to remember so it never happens again.

PDF ebookA5 · 48 pages · instant download · read on any screen or print at home
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Paperback6 × 9 in · black and white · 48 pages
Coming soon
Kindle ebookFor Kindle devices and apps
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The 20 false friends
in this book

Every story shows who usually falls into the trap, because the mistake comes from their first language.

  1. Looking for a LocationlocationUsually said by French speakers
  2. I Want My Caution BackcautionUsually said by French & Italian speakers
  3. My Rent Is Very HighrentUsually said by Spanish speakers
  4. A Very Morbid SofamorbidUsually said by Italian speakers
  5. Your Clothes Go in the CommodecommodeUsually said by French speakers
  6. Dreaming of an AtticatticUsually said by Spanish speakers
  7. Rumours UpstairsrumoursUsually said by Italian speakers
  8. Down in the CavecaveUsually said by French speakers
  9. How Much Is the Community?communityUsually said by Spanish speakers
  10. Park It in My BoxboxUsually said by Italian speakers
  11. Dinner by the ChimneychimneyUsually said by French, Spanish & Italian speakers
  12. Are Mascots Allowed?mascotsUsually said by Spanish speakers
  13. Where Is the Notice?noticeUsually said by French speakers
  14. A Lunatic LandlordlunaticUsually said by Italian speakers
  15. A Big Success Last NightsuccessUsually said by Spanish speakers
  16. Washing My Dirty HabitshabitsUsually said by French speakers
  17. Moving in EstateestateUsually said by Italian speakers
  18. A Chalet in the SuburbschaletUsually said by Spanish speakers
  19. I Can't Support My FlatmatesupportUsually said by French, Spanish & Italian speakers
  20. Very Emotional About the FlatemotionalUsually said by Spanish speakers

Look inside

Real pages from the book. Tap a page to see it larger. Story 1 is below, free.

Inside That Came Out Wrong, Vol. 5: The contents: 20 stories, 20 false friends.
The contents: 20 stories, 20 false friends.
Inside That Came Out Wrong, Vol. 5: Story 2, “I Want My Caution Back”: the scene on the left, the lesson on the right.
Story 2, “I Want My Caution Back”: the scene on the left, the lesson on the right.

Read the first story, free

Story 1 of 20, exactly as it appears in the book.

Story 01 · French speakers

Looking for a Location

A woman at an estate agent's desk; a film clapperboard floats above; the agent looks puzzled.

Claire has just moved to London for work. She walks into an estate agent's in Clapham, sits down and explains exactly what she needs.

The line

“I'm looking for a location for six months, near the Tube.”

What she meantA flat to rent for six months (une location).
What he heardShe's scouting for a film. He asks if it's a thriller.

Say it right

Neutral“I'm looking for a flat to rent for six months.”
US“I'm looking for a six-month rental.”
Casual“I need a place for six months.”
Never againA French location is a rental. In English, a location is a place, often where they shoot a film. Agents rent flats, not film sets.

Who it’s for

  • French, Spanish and Italian speakers learning or using English (B1–C1)
  • Expats, international professionals and travellers
  • English teachers looking for fun classroom material
  • Anyone who has ever said something wrong with total confidence

What you get

  • 20 illustrated stories, one per double page
  • What the speaker meant, and what everyone heard
  • Three correct ways to say it: neutral, formal or casual, and sometimes slang
  • A one-line “Never again” tip for each trap

More from the series

Six volumes in English, one for every place a word can betray you. See them all on Etsy ↗

Cover of That Came Out Wrong, Vol. 1: At WorkVol. 1 · At WorkCover of That Came Out Wrong, Vol. 2: At the Doctor’sVol. 2 · At the Doctor’sCover of That Came Out Wrong, Vol. 3: Love & DatingVol. 3 · Love & DatingCover of That Came Out Wrong, Vol. 4: At the TableVol. 4 · At the TableCover of That Came Out Wrong, Vol. 6: On HolidayVol. 6 · On HolidayCover of That Came Out Wrong, Teen Slang EditionTeen Slang Edition