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What are some common false friends between Ukrainian and other languages visualisation

What are some common false friends between Ukrainian and other languages

False friends when learning Ukrainian: What are some common false friends between Ukrainian and other languages
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False friends are words that look or sound similar in different languages but have different meanings, often leading to confusion. Here are some common false friends between Ukrainian and other languages, particularly English and other Slavic languages:

False Friends Between Ukrainian and English

  1. Магазин: In Ukrainian, this means shop or store, not magazine. The English magazine translates to журнал in Ukrainian 3, 4.
  2. Акуратний: Means neat or tidy in Ukrainian, not accurate. For accurate, use точний or правильний 3, 4.
  3. Актуальний: Refers to something topical or relevant, not actual. The word for actual is справжній 3, 4.
  4. Інсульт: Means stroke (medical condition), not insult. The word for insult is образа 1, 3, 4.
  5. Інтелігентний: Describes someone as cultured or well-educated, not necessarily intelligent. For intelligence, use розумний 3, 4.
  6. Екзамен: Means an exam or test, not the verb to examine. The verb would be досліджувати, обстежувати, or вивчати 3, 4.
  7. Батон: Refers to a type of white bread, not a baton or stick 3, 4.
  8. Дата: Simply means a date (calendar), not data. For data, use дані 3, 4.
  9. Кабінет: Refers to an office or study room, not a cabinet (furniture). For cabinet, use шафа 3, 4.

False Friends Between Ukrainian and Other Slavic Languages

  1. Трудна (Ukrainian) vs. Trudna (Croatian/Serbian): In Ukrainian, it means “difficult,” while in Croatian/Serbian it means “pregnant” 2.
  2. Поправити (Ukrainian) vs. Similar Words in Polish/Czech: In Polish, it means “to improve,” while in Czech it can mean “to spoil” 2.
  3. Variations of “воля”: In Polish (Ja wolę) it means “I prefer,” but in Serbian (Ja volim) it means “I love” 2.

These examples highlight how even closely related languages can have significant differences in meaning for similar words, which can lead to misunderstandings if not recognized!

References

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