What are some common false friends in Russian that can lead to funny misunderstandings
Here are some common Russian false friends that often lead to funny misunderstandings:
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Кабинет ≠ Cabinet
In Russian, кабинет means “office” or “study room,” while cabinet in English usually means a piece of furniture. For furniture, Russians use шкаф. -
Лист ≠ List
Лист in Russian means “leaf” or “sheet of paper,” not a list. The Russian word for list (a list of items) is список. -
Магазин ≠ Magazine
Магазин means “store” or “shop” in Russian, not a magazine (periodical). So “Иду в магазин” means “I’m going to the store,” which can confuse English speakers. -
Актуальный ≠ Actual
Актуальный means “relevant” or “current” in Russian, not “actual” as in real or factual. -
Аккуратный ≠ Accurate
Аккуратный means “neat” or “tidy,” not precise or correct. -
Фабрика ≠ Fabric
Фабрика means “factory,” not cloth or fabric. -
Фамилия ≠ Family
Фамилия means “surname” or “last name,” not family.
These false friends can cause humorous or confusing situations for learners and speakers switching between Russian and English.