7 so called English words in Russian: you will never guess what they mean

Did you know that the word Magazine looks and sounds (well, not 100 percent, of course) as a Russian word for a shop – магазин? I have been pulling together this list for months, so you are about to read something very special. 🙂 This is a list of so called English words in Russian, which sound very similar to each other in both languages, but have absolutely different meanings. Some still confuse even me sometimes.

English words in Russian: make yourself at home

Ok, let’s have a look at these so called English words in Russian. I don’t expect you to ask me what language they are really from – I think you already know the answer 🙂

1. Magazine. Sounds like a Russian word for магазин, which means a shop.

2. Products. This one is written very similar to the Russian word продукты (food, foodstuffs). Продукты sounds a bit different from products, but still a lot of Russians think they mean the same. Me too until recently 😉

Me in Prague. Russians who don’t speak English very well, would call that a puppet magazine instead of a puppet shop. Oh these funny Russians 😉

3. Fabric. 99% of Russians would think it’s translated as фабрика (factory) and so would Russian learners. Nope. Fabric means ткань in Russian.

4. Important. Nobody can imagine a lesson in a Russian school, where kids wouldn’t giggle once they stumble upon important. Important looks and sounds very close to a Russian word импотент, which stands for a suffering from sexual dysfunction person. Anyway, there is a very similar sounding word in English as well – impotent. But what kind of a translation you really don’t expect is the translation of the next word…

5. Preservative. It’s like stumbling upon important in school, only for adults. If you write a Russian word for a condom in English letters, this is exactly what you are going to get – preservative. We call it презерватив.

6. Service. Yes, there is a Russian word сервис, which means the same thing. The Russian language has been borrowing a lot from other languages, especially from European. You can check out for some simple examples here. However, the English word service will sound like сервиз to older generations. Сервиз can be a set of plates or cups, usually very beautiful and used for special occasions only. Don’ confuse сервис and сервиз and don’t confuse Yes with Yes-yes-yes!

7. Dutch. Oh, my favourite one. I still can’t bundle Dutch with Holland, and do you know why? Simply because Dane in the Russian language sounds like датчанин! Датчанин and Dutch – just listen to it. Датчанин and Dutch. When I hear someone saying ‘I’m Dutch’ in 8 cases out of 10 my first thought is ‘A guy is from Denmark’. I just can’t get used to it 😉

No one likes long articles; it’s time to round up! It took me 40 minutes to make this list. Oh, did I say months at the beginning? Well, you got me here: I lied.

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Listen to 7 so called English words in Russian: you will never guess what they mean