Russian Language "False Friends": Don't Be Fobbed off!
Everyone, who studies a foreign language, sooner or later faces with so-called "false friends”: words that sound or look similar to words in a native language but have different meaning in a foreign language. This article is about “false friends” in Russian and English languages.
Ноутбу̀к – a laptop
Notebook – блокно̀т
Я купил новый ноутбук вчера. - "I bought a new laptop yesterday."
Скажи мне, пожалуйста, твой адрес, я запишу его в блокнот. - "Tell me your address, please, I’ll write it down to my notebook."
Аккура̀тный - neat
Accurate – пра̀вильный, то̀чный
Он выглядит аккуратным. - "He looks neat."
"Swiss watches are the most accurate in the world." – Швейцарские часы – самые точные в мире.
Артѝст - actor
Artist – худо̀жник
Он - талантливый артист. - "He is a talented actor."
Он – один из самых известных художников в своей стране.
"He is one of the most famous artists in his country."
Интеллигентный – cultured, educated
Intelligent – у̀мный, разу̀мный
Интеллигентный человек не может быть грубым.- "Educated person can’t be rude."
"He is an intelligent guy." - Он очень неглупый парень.
Кабинѐт - office, study
Cabinet - шкаф с ящиками; кабинет министров
Его кабинет был полон старинных и дорогих книг. - "His study was full of antique and expensive books."
Глава государства вчера распустил Кабинет Министров. - "Yesterday the President dissolved the Cabinet of Ministers."
Комплѐкция - constitution
Complexion - цвет лица
Его комплекция не позволяла ему ездить верхом. - "He was unable to ride a horse because of his constitution."
Она очень много курит, поэтому у нее такой нездоровый цвет лица. - "She smokes a lot, so she has a sickly complexion."
Магазѝн - a shop
Magazine - журнал
Давай пройдемся по магазинам. - "Let's go shopping."
Я купил этот журнал в магазине вчера. - "I bought this magazine in a shop yesterday."
Директор - CEO – chief executive officer, manager
Director - режиссер, дирижер.
Этот режиссер всегда очень требовательным к актерам. - "This director always places high demands on his actors."
Директор занял свой пост только год назад.
"The manager took his post only a year ago."
Декорация - setting
Decoration - украшение, убранство
Мне не понравились декорации в этом представлении. - "I didn't like the settings in this performance."
Мы недавно закончили украшать комнату к празднику. - "We have finished decorating the room recently."
Фамилия - a surname
Family - семья
Его фамилия – Иванов. - His surname is Ivanov.
Я люблю свою семью. - "I love my family."
Фѝзик - physicist
Physique - телосложение
Мой дядя - физик. - "My uncle is a physicist."
How to memorize this deceptive vocabulary easily and quickly?
While there are many more "false friends" in our languages, I was only able to mention a few in this article. Should you memorize all these words by heart? Of course, not! Add them to your personal vocabulary little by little as you need it. Remember, it is always better to memorize words in context: you can make examples of when to use these words, then use them in your everyday conversations.
You do not have to learn all these words at once either, but rather divide this vocabulary according to topics they pertain to. For example: “Things” or “Occupation”. Following these simple recommendations will help increase your Russian vocabulary faster and become best friends with your new English-Russian "false friends".
December 7, 2016
