False friends between Russian and Slovak
The Slavic languages, including Russian and Slovak, have many false friends, i.e. similar or identical words with different meanings. Some of them are due to chance (the fact that the Slovak word for “majority” sounds like the Russian word for “ham” is just a coincidence), but many false friends have a common origin and thus a similar meaning, sometimes even a completely opposite meaning. The Russian words are given with a transcription in Slovak orthography to make comparisons easier.
| Slovak word | Translation | Russian word | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| banka | bank | банка (banka) | jar |
| baňa | mine | баня (baňa) | bath-house |
| báseň | poem | басня (basňa) | fable |
| bezcenný | worthless | бесценный (bescennyj) | invaluable |
| bezpečný | secure | беспечный (bespečnyj) | careless |
| branný | armed | бранный (brannyj) | insulting |
| byt | apartment, flat | быт (byt) | way of life |
| čas | time | час (čas) | hour |
| čerstvý | fresh | черствый (čerstvyj) | stale |
| denník | daily newspaper, diary | денник (dennik) | box stall |
| dyňa | watermelon | дыня (dyňa) | melon |
| hrob | grave | гроб (grob) | coffin |
| chodba | corridor | ходьба (choďba) | walking |
| izba | room | изба (izba) | izba (log house) |
| jahoda | strawberry | ягода (jagoda) | berry |
| kňaz | priest | князь (kňaz′) | prince |
| končina | remote regoin | кончина (končina) | decease |
| krásny | beautiful | красный (krasnyj) | red |
| kúriť | heat | курить (kuriť) | smoke |
| láska | love | ласка (laska) | caress |
| list | letter, leaf, sheet | лист (list) | leaf, sheet |
| luk | bow | лук (luk) | bow, onion |
| matka | mother, bolt nut | матка (matka) | womb, female of some animals |
| mesto | city | место (mesto) | place |
| miešok | scrotum | мешок (mešok) | bag, sac |
| mohyla | tumulus | могила (mogila) | grave |
| mrak | (dark) cloud | мрак (mrak) | darkness |
| muž | man, husband | муж (muž) | husband |
| mylný | erroneous | мыльный (myľnyj) | soapy |
| mzda | wage | мзда (mzda) | bribe |
| nájomník | tenant | наёмник (najomnik) | mercenary |
| nedeľa | Sunday | неделя (nedeľa) | week |
| odpustiť | forgive | отпустить (otpustiť) | let go |
| olovo | lead | олово (olovo) | tin |
| ovocie | fruit | овощ (ovošč) | vegetables |
| páchnuť | stink | пахнуть (pachnuť) | smell |
| palec | thumb | палец (palec) | finger |
| pamiatka | monument | памятка (pamiatka) | reminder |
| para | steam | пара (para) | pair |
| písmo | script | письмо (pis′mo) | letter, writing |
| plochý | flat | плохой (plochoj) | bad |
| podval | railroad tie, railway sleeper | подвал (podval) | cellar |
| potrebovať | need | потребовать (potrebovať) | demand |
| pozor | attention | позор (pozor) | shame |
| prach | dust, gunpowder | прах (prach) | dust, ashes |
| prázdny | empty | праздный (prazdnyj) | idle |
| predať | sell | предать (predať) | betray |
| priezvisko | surname | прозвище (prozvišče) | nickname |
| prúd | stream | пруд (prud) | pond |
| pustý | deserted | пустой (pustoj) | empty |
| pýtať sa | ask | пытаться (pytaťsia) | attempt |
| rakovina | cancer | раковина (rakovina) | seashell, sink |
| ráno | morning | рано (rano) | early |
| rodina | family | родина (rodina) | homeland |
| rozdiel | difference | раздел (razdel) | division |
| rozkošný | delightful | роскошный (roskošnyj) | luxurious |
| rýchly | quick | рыхлый (rychlyj) | crumbly |
| Slovenka | Slovak woman | словенка (slovenka) | Slovene woman |
| slovenský | Slovak | словенский (slovenskij) | Slovene |
| smieť | be allowed | сметь (smeť) | dare |
| smutný | sad | смутный (smutnyj) | vague, troubled |
| spájať | join | спаять (spajať) | solder |
| spokojný | content | спокойный (spokojnyj) | calm |
| starosť | trouble, concern | старость (starosť) | old age |
| stolica | stool | столица (stolica) | capital |
| strachovať sa | fear | страховаться (strachovaťsia) | insure oneself |
| strana | side | страна (strana) | country |
| surový | raw | суровый (surovyj) | harsh |
| svet | world | свет (svet) | world, light |
| toľko | so much | только (toľko) | only |
| úrok | interest, rate | урок (urok) | lesson |
| úžasný | awesome | ужасный (užasnyj) | awful |
| väčšina | majority | ветчина (vetčina) | ham |
| vek | age | век (vek) | century, era |
| vinohrad | vineyard | виноград (vinograd) | grape |
| vlastný | own | властный (vlastnyj) | authoritative |
| voňať | smell | вонять (voňať) | stink |
| vrah | murderer | враг (vrag) | enemy |
| vražda | murder | вражда (vražda) | enmity, hostility |
| východ | exit, east | выход (vychod) | exit |
| vzor | template | взор (vzor) | look |
| záchod | toilet | заход (zachod) | (sun)set, approach |
| zakázať | forbid | заказать (zakazať) | order |
| zákazník | customer | заказник (zakaznik) | reserve |
| zápor | negation | запор (zapor) | lock, constipation |
| zažiť | live, experience | зажить (zažiť) | heal up, begin to live |
| zemiak | potato | земляк (zemľak) | fellow countryman |
| zima | winter, cold | зима (zima) | winter |
| zlodej | thief | злодей (zlodej) | malefactor |
| zvon | bell | звон (zvon) | ringing |
| žena | woman, wife | жена (žena) | wife |
| žid | Jew | жид (žid) | Jew (offensive) |
| život | life | живот (život) | belly |