DICTIONNAIRE ALLEMAND-ANGLAIS

The German adjective ordinär is a false friend, as its primary meaning in English is vulgar or crude. Sein Benehmen gestern war ganz ordinär might therefore be translated as His behaviour yesterday was very vulgar.

The English adjective ordinary, however, would usually be translated by gewöhnlich or normal, so This is no ordinary computer would be rendered as Dies ist kein gewöhnlicher Computer.