Author’s Column | Tymur Levitin on Language, Meaning and Respect

© Tymur Levitin — Founder, Director and Lead Educator of Levitin Language School & Start Language School by Tymur Levitin

“A word is not the thing. And that’s where all the trouble starts.”

What Are False Friends?

In translation, not every word that looks familiar is your ally. Some words betray your trust.

These are false friends — words that resemble your native language but mean something completely different in English. They cause subtle (and sometimes very awkward) mistakes.

For learners coming from native Slavic languages — such as Ukrainian, Polish, or others — false friends are a trap. And the more advanced you get, the more dangerous they become.

Let’s expose them.

10 False Friends That Mislead Learners

Each example below includes the correct English meaning and typical false assumptions from three Slavic languages — Ukrainian, Russian, and Polish. These comparisons show not only how misleading these words can be, but how their “familiarity” creates false confidence in translation.

Legend:

  • ✅ = correct meaning in English
  • ❗ = misleading interpretation
  • (ukr.) = Ukrainian
  • (rus.) = Russian
  • (pol.) = Polish

Here are real-life examples from students I’ve worked with — across 20+ countries:

1. Actually ≠ актуально

✅ Actually = in fact, in reality
❗ Misleading in:
(ukr.) актуально = relevant
(rus.) актуально = актуальный, meaning relevant
(pol.) aktualnie = currently, at the moment

❗ “This news is actually now” — ❌ Wrong
✅ “This news is relevant right now”

2. Eventual ≠ евентуальный

✅ Eventual = happening in the end, final
❗ Misleading in:
(ukr.) евентуальний = possible
(rus.) евентуальный = возможный, hypothetical
(pol.) ewentualny = possible ✅ Eventual = that will happen in the end
⛔ Евентуальный = possible, hypothetical

❗ “The eventual danger” is not a hypothetical one — it’s the final one.

3. Sympathetic ≠ симпатичный

✅ Sympathetic = showing compassion or understanding
❗ Misleading in:
(ukr.) симпатичний = cute, nice-looking
(rus.) симпатичный = attractive, pleasant-looking
(pol.) sympatyczny = friendly, nice ✅ Sympathetic = сочувствующий, співчутливий
⛔ Симпатичный = nice-looking, cute

“She’s very sympathetic” ≠ “She’s pretty.”

4. Fabric ≠ фабрика

✅ Fabric = cloth, textile
❗ Misleading in:
(ukr.) фабрика = factory
(rus.) фабрика = factory
(pol.) fabryka = factory ✅ Fabric = тканина, ткань
⛔ Фабрика = factory

“My dress came from a beautiful fabric” — not from an industrial building.

5. Magazine ≠ магазин

✅ Magazine = a periodical publication
❗ Misleading in:
(ukr.) магазин = shop, store
(rus.) магазин = store
(pol.) magazyn = warehouse or storage ✅ Magazine = журнал
⛔ Магазин = store, shop

“I found it in the magazine” ≠ “I bought it in the store.”

6. Intelligent ≠ интеллигентный

✅ Intelligent = smart, mentally capable
❗ Misleading in:
(ukr.) інтелігентний = cultured, well-mannered
(rus.) интеллигентный = educated, refined
(pol.) inteligentny = intelligent (but sometimes also cultured) ✅ Intelligent = розумний, умный
⛔ Интеллигентный = cultured, refined

Different values, different focus.

7. Sensible ≠ чувствительный

✅ Sensible = reasonable, logical
❗ Misleading in:
(ukr.) чутливий = sensitive
(rus.) чувствительный = emotionally sensitive
(pol.) wrażliwy = sensitive ✅ Sensible = разумный, розсудливий
⛔ Чувствительный = sensitive

A sensible decision is logical, not emotional.

8. Eventually ≠ возможно

✅ Eventually = finally, in the end
❗ Misleading in:
(ukr.) можливо = possibly
(rus.) возможно = possibly
(pol.) ewentualnie = optionally, possibly ✅ Eventually = в конце концов, зрештою
⛔ Возможно = possibly, maybe

9. Chef ≠ шеф

✅ Chef = head cook, kitchen professional
❗ Misleading in:
(ukr.) шеф = boss
(rus.) шеф = supervisor, boss
(pol.) szef = boss ✅ Chef = кухар, повар
⛔ Шеф = boss

“Our chef fired me” sounds very strange.

10. Control ≠ контролировать

✅ Control = to direct, to manage
❗ Misleading in:
(ukr.) контролювати = to monitor/check
(rus.) контролировать = to supervise, inspect
(pol.) kontrolować = to check or inspect (в значении «держать под наблюдением») ✅ Control = управлять, керувати
⛔ Контролировать (проверять) = to check, to monitor

“I want to control your passport” can sound creepy.

Why They’re So Dangerous

False friends hide in plain sight. They don’t trigger your “error alarm” because they feel right. But they distort meaning.

  • In casual speech, they confuse your listener.
  • In writing, they weaken your credibility.
  • In translation — they kill trust.

This is where thinking in English becomes essential. Don’t search for the word — search for the meaning.

How to Recognize and Avoid Them

  1. Check a real English dictionary, not just bilingual ones.
  2. Use corpora (like COCA) to see words in real use.
  3. Ask native speakers, teachers, or advanced learners.
  4. Trust your discomfort — if it feels too easy, double-check it.

Real Usage vs False Equivalents

Compare these two sentences:

  • ❌ Actually, she’s very sympathetic, so I went to the magazine and bought a fabric.
  • ✅ In fact, she’s very kind, so I went to the store and bought some cloth.

Same structure. Different universe.

Final Thought: Think in Meaning, Not in Words

False friends are everywhere. But they’re not your enemy — they’re your reminder:

Don’t learn translations. Learn contexts.

When you stop asking “How is this word translated?” and start asking “What does it mean here?” — you’ve begun to think like a real speaker.

🔗 Suggested Reading

Author: Tymur Levitin — certified translator, educator, and founder of Levitin Language School & Start Language School by Tymur Levitin
Category: Author’s Column | Tymur Levitin on Language, Meaning and Respect