False friends

Look-alikes that mean different things. Most are true cognates whose meanings drifted apart; a few are chance.

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54 false friends

- Polish
  uroda
  “beauty, good looks”
- Russian
  уро́дurod
  “freak, ugly person”
Both are built on *rod- 'birth': Polish uroda is what you were born with, hence 'looks, beauty', while Russian уро́д is someone born wrong. Ukrainian вро́да 'beauty' sides with Polish.
Say instead: Russian 'beauty' is красота́; Polish 'freak, ugly person' is dziwoląg, potwór or poczwara.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  czerstwy
  “stale (of bread); hale, ruddy (of a person)”
- Russian
  чёрствыйčërstvyj
  “stale (of bread); callous”
- Czech
  čerstvý
  “fresh”
From Proto-Slavic *čьrstvъ 'firm, hard'. Bread that is firm has gone stale in Russian and Polish, but in Czech 'firm, sound' became 'fresh'; Polish keeps the sound sense for people (czerstwy staruszek 'a hale old man').
Say instead: Russian 'fresh' is све́жий and Polish 'fresh' is świeży; Czech stale bread is okoralý or tvrdý chléb.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  miasto
  “town, city”
- Russian
  ме́стоmesto
  “place, spot; seat”
- Ukrainian
  мі́стоmisto
  “town, city”
- Czech
  město
  “town, city”
All from Proto-Slavic *město 'place'. Ukrainian, Polish and Czech narrowed 'the place' to 'the town' and made a new word for 'place' (мі́сце, miejsce, místo); Russian and BCS kept the old meaning.
Say instead: Russian 'town' is го́род; 'place' is Ukrainian мі́сце, Polish miejsce, Czech místo. BCS mjesto means 'place', as in Russian.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  listopad
  “November”
- Russian
  листопа́дlistopad
  “leaf fall (the season), not a month”
- Ukrainian
  листопа́дlystopad
  “November”
- Czech
  listopad
  “November”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  listopadлистопад
  “October (Croatian standard; the Bosnian, Montenegrin and Serbian standards use oktobar)”
A transparent compound 'leaf-fall'. Each calendar pinned it to the month when leaves fall where it was fixed: November in Ukrainian, Polish and Czech, October in Croatian. Russian uses Latin month names, so for it листопа́д is only the season.
Say instead: Russian 'November' is ноя́брь; Croatian 'November' is studeni, and Bosnian, Montenegrin and Serbian say novembar. 'October' is Ukrainian жо́втень, Polish październik, Czech říjen.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  pozór
  “appearance, semblance (pozory 'appearances')”
- Russian
  позо́рpozor
  “disgrace, shame”
- Czech
  pozor
  “attention; 'Look out!'”
From *pozorъ 'a look, a sight', related to *zьrěti 'to look'. Czech kept 'watching' (Dej pozor! 'Pay attention!'), Polish 'how things look', and Russian went from 'a spectacle' to 'a shameful spectacle'.
Say instead: Russian 'Look out!' is Осторо́жно! or Внима́ние!; Czech 'disgrace' is hanba or ostuda, Polish hańba.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  zapomnieć
  “to forget”
- Russian
  запо́мнитьzapomnitʹ
  “to memorize, commit to memory”
- Czech
  zapomenout
  “to forget”
The same prefix za- plus the root of 'memory' (*mьn-, as in по́мнить, pamięć). In Russian za- fixes a thing in mind; in Polish and Czech it sends it out of mind.
Say instead: Russian 'forget' is забы́ть; Polish 'memorize' is zapamiętać, Czech zapamatovat si.
relatedcertain
- Russian
  воня́тьvonjatʹ
  “to stink”
- Ukrainian
  воня́тиvonjaty
  “to stink”
- Czech
  vonět
  “to smell nice, be fragrant”
From Proto-Slavic *vonja 'smell', a neutral word. East Slavic took the bad side (Russian вонь 'stench'), Czech the good one (vůně 'fragrance'); Polish woń 'scent' can still go either way.
Say instead: Russian 'smell nice' is хорошо́ па́хнуть, Ukrainian па́хнути; Czech 'stink' is smrdět.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  pachnieć
  “to smell nice”
- Russian
  па́хнутьpaxnutʹ
  “to smell (of something), neutral”
- Czech
  páchnout
  “to stink”
One verb of smelling, three directions: neutral in Russian, pleasant in Polish (zapach 'scent'), unpleasant in Czech (zápach 'stench'). Czech and Russian thus cross over with vonět and воня́ть.
Say instead: Czech 'smell nice' is vonět; Polish 'stink' is śmierdzieć; Russian makes it explicit: хорошо́ па́хнуть, пло́хо па́хнуть.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  dywan
  “carpet, rug”
- Russian
  дива́нdivan
  “sofa, couch”
Both come from Persian dīvān, via Turkish, where the word covered a council, the cushioned bench it sat on and the carpets around it. Polish kept the carpet, Russian the seat.
Say instead: Russian 'carpet' is ковёр; Polish 'sofa' is kanapa or sofa.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  niedziela
  “Sunday”
- Russian
  неде́ляnedelja
  “week”
- Ukrainian
  неді́ляnedilja
  “Sunday”
- Czech
  neděle
  “Sunday”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  nedjeljaнедјеља
  “Sunday (in Serbian usage, ekavian nedelja, also 'week')”
From *nedělja 'the day of not working' (ne + dělati). Everyone kept it as 'Sunday' except Russian, which moved it to the week that ends with it and named Sunday after the Resurrection.
Say instead: Russian 'Sunday' is воскресе́нье. 'Week' is Ukrainian ти́ждень, Polish tydzień, Czech týden; in BCS tjedan (Croatian), sedmica (Bosnian, Serbian), and Serbian nedelja also serves.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  jagoda
  “berry; in everyday speech often the bilberry (blueberry)”
- Russian
  я́годаjagoda
  “berry”
- Czech
  jahoda
  “strawberry”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  jagodaјагода
  “strawberry”
From Proto-Slavic *(j)agoda 'berry'. Czech and BCS narrowed it to the best-loved berry, the strawberry, and Polish often to the bilberry; Russian kept the general sense.
Say instead: Russian 'strawberry' is клубни́ка (garden) or земляни́ка (wild); Polish 'strawberry' is truskawka; Czech 'berry' is bobule, BCS bobica.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  owoc
  “fruit”
- Russian
  о́вощovošč
  “vegetable (usually plural о́вощи)”
- Ukrainian
  о́вочovoč
  “vegetable (usually plural о́вочі)”
- Czech
  ovoce
  “fruit (collective)”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  voćeвоће
  “fruit (collective)”
From one Proto-Slavic word for 'fruit, produce'. Russian о́вощ (with Church Slavonic щ) and Ukrainian о́воч once meant any garden produce and narrowed to vegetables once фру́кты arrived; the west and south kept 'fruit'.
Say instead: Russian 'fruit' is фру́кты, Ukrainian фру́кти; 'vegetables' are Polish warzywa, Czech zelenina, BCS povrće.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  chytry
  “sly; (colloquially) stingy, greedy”
- Russian
  хи́трыйxitryj
  “cunning, sly”
- Czech
  chytrý
  “clever, smart”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  hitarхитар
  “quick, swift, nimble”
From Proto-Slavic *xytrъ, related to *xytiti 'to seize': someone quick to grab. The quickness stayed in BCS, became cleverness in Czech and slyness in Russian and Polish.
Say instead: Russian 'clever' is у́мный, 'quick' бы́стрый; Czech 'cunning' is prohnaný or lstivý; Polish 'clever' is mądry or bystry; BCS 'cunning' is lukav.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  pukać
  “to knock (on a door)”
- Russian
  пу́катьpukatʹ
  “to break wind (colloquial)”
- Czech
  pukat
  “to crack, burst (pukat smíchy 'to burst with laughter')”
All three are built on the imitative syllable puk-, a short popping noise; each language attached it to a different sound.
Say instead: Russian 'knock' is стуча́ть; Polish 'burst' is pękać; Czech 'knock' is klepat.
relatedprobable
- Polish
  czas
  “time”
- Russian
  часčas
  “hour”
- Ukrainian
  часčas
  “time”
- Czech
  čas
  “time”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  časчас
  “moment, instant (in Bosnian and Serbian also a school lesson)”
From Proto-Slavic *časъ 'time, period'. Russian narrowed it to the hour, BCS to a short moment; Ukrainian, Polish and Czech kept 'time'.
Say instead: Russian 'time' is вре́мя; 'hour' is Ukrainian годи́на, Polish godzina, Czech hodina, BCS sat.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  godzina
  “hour”
- Russian
  годи́наgodina
  “a (fateful) time, hour of trial (bookish)”
- Ukrainian
  годи́наhodyna
  “hour”
- Czech
  hodina
  “hour”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  godinaгодина
  “year”
A derivative of *godъ 'the right time' (Russian год 'year'). The 'appointed time' settled on the hour in Ukrainian, Polish and Czech, and on the year in BCS; in Russian it survives only in solemn style (в го́дину испыта́ний).
Say instead: BCS 'hour' is sat; 'year' is Ukrainian рік, Polish and Czech rok, Russian год.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  kwiecień
  “April”
- Ukrainian
  кві́теньkvitenʹ
  “April”
- Czech
  květen
  “May”
All are 'the flowering month', from *květъ 'flower'. Spring flowers were dated to April in the Ukrainian and Polish calendars and to May in the Czech one.
Say instead: Czech 'April' is duben; 'May' is Ukrainian тра́вень, Polish maj.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  sierpień
  “August”
- Ukrainian
  се́рпеньserpenʹ
  “August”
- Czech
  srpen
  “August”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  srpanjсрпањ
  “July (Croatian standard; the Bosnian, Montenegrin and Serbian standards use jul)”
'The sickle month', from *sьrpъ 'sickle': the harvest month fell in August in the Ukrainian, Polish and Czech calendars and in July in the Croatian one.
Say instead: Croatian 'August' is kolovoz (Bosnian, Montenegrin and Serbian avgust or august); 'July' is Ukrainian ли́пень, Polish lipiec, Czech červenec.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  lipiec
  “July”
- Ukrainian
  ли́пеньlypenʹ
  “July”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  lipanjлипањ
  “June (Croatian standard; the Bosnian, Montenegrin and Serbian standards use jun)”
'The linden month', from *lipa 'linden', named for when the lindens bloom: July in the Ukrainian and Polish calendars, June in the Croatian one.
Say instead: Croatian 'July' is srpanj (Bosnian, Montenegrin and Serbian jul); 'June' is Ukrainian че́рвень, Polish czerwiec.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  żywot
  “life (bookish: lives of saints, a lifetime)”
- Russian
  живо́тživot
  “belly, stomach”
- Czech
  život
  “life”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  životживот
  “life”
From *životъ 'life'. Old Russian also meant 'life' (не щадя́ живота́ 'sparing no life' survives), then the word moved to the seat of life, the belly; Ukrainian живі́т 'belly' agrees with Russian.
Say instead: Russian 'life' is жизнь; 'belly' is Polish brzuch, Czech břicho, BCS trbuh or stomak.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  rodzina
  “family”
- Russian
  ро́динаrodina
  “homeland, motherland”
- Ukrainian
  роди́наrodyna
  “family”
- Czech
  rodina
  “family”
A derivative of *rodъ 'kin, birth'. Ukrainian, Polish and Czech kept 'one's kin', while Russian widened it to the land of one's birth. Note the different stress in Russian and Ukrainian.
Say instead: Russian 'family' is семья́; 'homeland' is Ukrainian батьківщи́на, Polish ojczyzna, Czech vlast.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  drużyna
  “team (sports); troop, squad”
- Russian
  дружи́наdružina
  “(historical) a prince's retinue; a volunteer squad”
- Ukrainian
  дружи́наdružyna
  “wife; (historical) a prince's retinue”
From *drugъ 'companion': a body of companions. Polish made it a team, Russian kept the war band, and Ukrainian added the closest companion of all, the wife (дружи́на next to чолові́к 'husband').
Say instead: Russian 'wife' is жена́; Ukrainian and Russian 'team' is кома́нда; Polish 'wife' is żona.
relatedcertain
- Russian
  челове́кčelovek
  “person, human being”
- Ukrainian
  чолові́кčolovik
  “man (male); husband”
One Proto-Slavic word, *čelověkъ. Russian kept it for any human (like Polish człowiek, Czech člověk), while Ukrainian narrowed it to a man and a husband.
Say instead: Ukrainian 'person' is люди́на; Russian 'husband' is муж, 'man' мужчи́на.
relatedcertain
- Russian
  столи́цаstolica
  “capital city”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  stolicaстолица
  “chair”
A derivative of *stolъ 'seat, throne'. Russian (like Ukrainian and Polish) went from the ruler's seat to the city that holds it; BCS kept an ordinary seat.
Say instead: Russian 'chair' is стул; BCS 'capital' is glavni grad (Croatian also prijestolnica, Serbian prestonica).
relatedcertain
- Polish
  sklep
  “shop, store”
- Russian
  склепsklep
  “burial vault, crypt”
- Czech
  sklep
  “cellar”
Originally 'a vaulted room' (compare Czech sklepení 'vault'). Czech kept the cellar, Polish turned the vaulted shop-cellar into any shop, and Russian, which borrowed the word from Polish, uses it for a burial vault.
Say instead: Russian 'shop' is магази́н; Polish 'crypt' is krypta or grobowiec; Czech 'shop' is obchod, 'crypt' hrobka.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  dworzec
  “(railway or bus) station”
- Russian
  дворе́цdvorec
  “palace”
Both are 'little court', from *dvorьcь (*dvorъ 'court, yard'). Russian grew it into a palace; Polish dworzec, once a small manor, came to mean the station building.
Say instead: Russian 'station' is вокза́л; Polish 'palace' is pałac.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  ogród
  “garden (with flowers, trees)”
- Russian
  огоро́дogorod
  “vegetable garden, kitchen plot”
- Czech
  ohrada
  “fence, enclosure, pen”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  ogradaограда
  “fence”
From *ogordъ, *ogorda 'enclosure' (o- plus the root of го́род, grad): the fence itself in Czech and BCS, the fenced plot in Russian and Polish.
Say instead: Russian 'garden' is сад; Polish 'vegetable plot' is ogródek warzywny; Czech 'garden' is zahrada; BCS 'garden' is vrt.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  stan
  “state, condition; (federal) state”
- Russian
  станstan
  “figure, build (of a body); camp”
- Czech
  stan
  “tent”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  stanстан
  “flat, apartment”
From *stanъ, a derivative of *stati 'to stand': where one stands or stops. Czech made it a tent, BCS a dwelling, Polish a state of affairs, Russian a stance and a camp.
Say instead: Russian 'flat' is кварти́ра, 'tent' пала́тка, 'condition' состоя́ние; Polish 'tent' is namiot; Czech 'flat' is byt; BCS 'tent' is šator.
relatedcertain
- Russian
  ми́лоmilo
  “nicely, sweetly; 'How nice!'”
- Ukrainian
  ми́лоmylo
  “soap”
Pure chance from a sound change: Ukrainian merged Proto-Slavic *y and *i as и, so *mydlo 'soap' (Russian мы́ло) came out ми́ло, identical to the adverb from *milъ 'dear', which Ukrainian also has.
Say instead: Russian 'soap' is мы́ло.
chance look-alikecertain
- Polish
  list
  “letter (mail)”
- Russian
  листlist
  “leaf; sheet (of paper)”
- Ukrainian
  листlyst
  “letter (mail); also sheet”
From *listъ 'leaf'. A sheet of paper is a leaf in every language here; Ukrainian and Polish went one step further, to the letter written on it.
Say instead: Russian 'letter' is письмо́; Ukrainian 'leaf' is листо́к, Polish liść.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  zachód
  “west; sunset”
- Ukrainian
  за́хідzaxid
  “west; sunset; also measure, event”
- Czech
  záchod
  “toilet”
From *zaxodъ 'going behind, going away'. For the sun that is setting, hence 'west'; in Czech it became the place one discreetly goes off to.
Say instead: Czech 'west' is západ; Polish 'toilet' is toaleta or ubikacja, Ukrainian туале́т.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  piwnica
  “cellar, basement”
- Czech
  pivnice
  “pub, beer hall”
Both are derived from pivo/piwo 'beer': Polish from the place beer was stored, Czech from the place it is drunk. (BCS pivnica is also a cellar.)
Say instead: Polish 'pub' is piwiarnia or pub; Czech 'cellar' is sklep.
relatedprobable
- Polish
  dynia
  “pumpkin”
- Russian
  ды́няdynja
  “melon”
- Ukrainian
  ди́няdynja
  “melon”
- Czech
  dýně
  “pumpkin”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  dinjaдиња
  “melon”
From Proto-Slavic *dynja, a name for large gourds. When melons and pumpkins became separate crops, Polish and Czech gave the word to the pumpkin, the others to the melon.
Say instead: Russian 'pumpkin' is ты́ква, Ukrainian гарбу́з, BCS bundeva (Serbian also tikva); 'melon' is Polish melon, Czech meloun.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  groch
  “peas”
- Russian
  горо́хgorox
  “peas”
- Czech
  hrách
  “peas”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  grahграх
  “beans (Croatian, Bosnian; Serbian says pasulj)”
From *gorxъ 'pea'. In Croatian and Bosnian the old pulse name now means beans, and peas are called by the diminutive grašak.
Say instead: BCS 'peas' is grašak; 'beans' is Russian фасо́ль, Polish fasola, Czech fazole.
relatedcertain
- Russian
  кра́сныйkrasnyj
  “red”
- Czech
  krásný
  “beautiful”
From *krasьnъ 'beautiful'. Russian кра́сный meant 'beautiful' too (Кра́сная пло́щадь was the 'beautiful square'), then came to mean the finest colour, red.
Say instead: Russian 'beautiful' is краси́вый; Czech 'red' is červený.
relatedcertain
- Russian
  ужа́сныйužasnyj
  “terrible, horrible”
- Czech
  úžasný
  “amazing, wonderful”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  užasanужасан
  “terrible, horrible”
From *užasъ, a sudden shock of either fear or wonder. Russian and BCS kept the fear, Czech the wonder (úžas 'amazement').
Say instead: Russian 'amazing' is потряса́ющий or удиви́тельный, BCS divan or nevjerojatan; Czech 'terrible' is hrozný or strašný.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  chudy
  “thin, skinny”
- Russian
  худо́йxudoj
  “thin, skinny; (colloquially) bad”
- Czech
  chudý
  “poor (not rich)”
From *xudъ 'small, meagre'. Meagre in body in Russian and Polish, meagre in means in Czech; Russian adds 'poor in quality, bad' (ху́до 'badly').
Say instead: Czech 'thin' is hubený; Russian 'poor' is бе́дный, Polish biedny.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  trudny
  “difficult, hard”
- Russian
  тру́дныйtrudnyj
  “difficult, hard”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  trudnaтрудна
  “pregnant (feminine adjective)”
From *trudъ 'toil, effort'. BCS trudna (trudnoća 'pregnancy') describes a woman carrying a burden; Russian and Polish kept the general 'laborious'.
Say instead: BCS 'difficult' is težak; Russian 'pregnant' is бере́менная, Polish w ciąży or ciężarna.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  nagły
  “sudden”
- Russian
  на́глыйnaglyj
  “impudent, insolent”
- Czech
  náhlý
  “sudden”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  nagaoнагао
  “sudden, abrupt; hot-tempered”
From *naglъ 'sudden, hasty'. Russian moved from 'rash, headlong' to 'brazen'; the others kept the suddenness.
Say instead: Russian 'sudden' is внеза́пный; 'impudent' is Polish bezczelny, Czech drzý, BCS drzak or bezobrazan.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  pytać
  “to ask”
- Russian
  пыта́тьpytatʹ
  “to torture; (colloquially) to question insistently”
- Ukrainian
  пита́тиpytaty
  “to ask”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  pitatiпитати
  “to ask”
From *pytati 'to ask, to test'. Russian kept 'to test' in пыта́ться 'to try' and turned hard questioning into torture (пы́тка).
Say instead: Russian 'ask' is спра́шивать; 'torture' is Ukrainian катува́ти, Polish torturować, BCS mučiti.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  zakaz
  “ban, prohibition”
- Russian
  зака́зzakaz
  “order (for goods), commission”
- Czech
  zákaz
  “ban, prohibition”
From za- plus *kazati 'to show, to tell'. Telling someone to do something became an order for goods in Russian; telling them not to became a ban in Polish and Czech.
Say instead: Russian 'ban' is запре́т; 'order' is Polish zamówienie, Czech objednávka.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  zawód
  “profession, trade; disappointment”
- Russian
  заво́дzavod
  “factory, plant”
- Czech
  závod
  “race, contest; also works, plant”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  zavodзавод
  “institute, institution”
All are za- plus *vod- 'lead'. Something set going became a factory or an institution; Czech závod is a running contest; Polish zawód went from 'leading astray' to 'disappointment' and also names a trade.
Say instead: Russian 'profession' is профе́ссия, 'race' го́нка; Polish 'factory' is fabryka; BCS 'factory' is tvornica (Croatian) or fabrika.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  czuć
  “to feel; to smell”
- Russian
  чу́ятьčujatʹ
  “to scent, sense (as an animal does)”
- Ukrainian
  чу́тиčuty
  “to hear; also to sense”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  čutiчути
  “to hear”
From *čuti 'to perceive'. Each language settled on a different sense: hearing in Ukrainian and BCS, feeling and smell in Polish, an animal's keen nose in Russian.
Say instead: Russian 'hear' is слы́шать; Polish 'hear' is słyszeć; BCS 'feel' is osjećati.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  lubić
  “to like”
- Russian
  люби́тьljubitʹ
  “to love”
- Czech
  líbit se
  “to please, be liked (Líbí se mi 'I like it')”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  ljubitiљубити
  “to kiss (bookish: to love)”
From *ljubiti 'to hold dear'. The strength drifted: love in Russian, liking in Polish and Czech, and in BCS the kiss that shows it.
Say instead: Polish 'love' is kochać, Czech milovat, BCS voljeti; Russian 'kiss' is целова́ть.
relatedcertain
- Russian
  сло́воslovo
  “word”
- Czech
  slovo
  “word”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  slovoслово
  “letter (of the alphabet)”
From *slovo 'word'. Russian and Czech kept it; in BCS slovo now means a letter of the alphabet, with 'word' only in older and fixed uses (fittingly, slovo was also the old name of the letter S).
Say instead: BCS 'word' is riječ; Russian 'letter' is бу́ква, Czech písmeno.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  rzecz
  “thing, matter”
- Russian
  речьrečʹ
  “speech”
- Ukrainian
  річrič
  “thing (bookish: speech)”
- Czech
  řeč
  “speech; language”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  riječријеч
  “word”
From *rěčь 'speech'. Russian and Czech kept it; Polish and Ukrainian went from 'what is spoken about' to 'the matter, the thing'; BCS narrowed it to a single word.
Say instead: Russian 'thing' is вещь, Czech věc; Polish 'speech' is mowa or przemówienie; BCS 'speech' is govor.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  jutro
  “tomorrow”
- Russian
  у́троutro
  “morning”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  jutroјутро
  “morning”
From *jutro 'morning'. Polish moved it to the next morning, tomorrow; Russian за́втра and BCS sutra are themselves 'by the morning' (*za utra, *sъ utra).
Say instead: Polish 'morning' is rano or ranek; Russian 'tomorrow' is за́втра; BCS 'tomorrow' is sutra.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  łaska
  “grace, favour, mercy”
- Russian
  ла́скаlaska
  “affection, caress; also weasel”
- Czech
  láska
  “love”
From *laska 'caress, flattery'. Czech raised it to love, Polish to grace (z łaski 'as a favour'); Ukrainian ла́ска gives the polite будь ла́ска 'please'.
Say instead: Russian 'love' is любо́вь, Polish miłość; Czech 'caress' is pohlazení, 'grace, favour' milost.
relatedcertain
- Russian
  властьvlastʹ
  “power, authority”
- Czech
  vlast
  “homeland”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  vlastвласт
  “power, authority”
From *volstь 'rule; the domain ruled', related to *volděti 'to rule'. Russian and BCS kept the rule; Czech kept the domain and made it the homeland.
Say instead: Russian 'homeland' is ро́дина; Czech 'power, authority' is moc or vláda.
relatedcertain
- Russian
  пито́мецpitomec
  “pupil, foster child; pet”
- Czech
  pitomec
  “idiot, fool”
Both go back to *pitomъ 'fed, tame', from *pitati 'to feed'. Russian kept the one who is reared; Czech pitomý went from 'tame' to 'dull, stupid'.
Say instead: Czech 'pupil' is žák or svěřenec, 'pet' domácí mazlíček; Russian 'idiot' is дура́к or иди́от.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  wróg
  “enemy”
- Russian
  врагvrag
  “enemy”
- Czech
  vrah
  “murderer”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  vragвраг
  “devil (colloquial)”
From *vorgъ 'enemy'. Russian враг is the Church Slavonic shape (the native во́рог is folk-poetic); Czech narrowed it to the worst enemy, a killer, and BCS to the Enemy, the devil.
Say instead: Czech 'enemy' is nepřítel, BCS neprijatelj; Russian 'murderer' is уби́йца, Polish morderca; Russian 'devil' is чёрт.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  puszka
  “tin can; box”
- Russian
  пу́шкаpuška
  “cannon”
- Czech
  puška
  “rifle”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  puškaпушка
  “rifle”
A loan of Old High German buhsa 'box' (from Latin buxis): Polish kept the box; a gun barrel was a 'box' for powder, giving the Czech and BCS rifle and the Russian cannon.
Say instead: Russian 'rifle' is ружьё or винто́вка; Polish 'rifle' is karabin; Czech 'tin can' is plechovka; BCS 'cannon' is top.
relatedcertain
- Polish
  brak
  “lack, shortage”
- Russian
  бракbrak
  “marriage; also defective goods, rejects”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  brakбрак
  “marriage”
Two unrelated words that met. 'Marriage' is Slavic *brakъ, from *bьrati 'to take' (Russian, BCS); Polish brak 'lack' and Russian брак 'rejects' come from German Brack 'refuse, culls'.
Say instead: Polish 'marriage' is małżeństwo; BCS 'lack' is nedostatak; Russian 'lack' is нехва́тка or недоста́ток.
chance look-alikeprobable
- Polish
  rok
  “year”
- Russian
  рокrok
  “fate, doom”
- Czech
  rok
  “year”
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
  rokрок
  “deadline, term, time limit”
From *rokъ 'an appointed time', from *rekti 'to say': the time that has been declared. BCS keeps the appointed term, Polish and Czech the yearly cycle (Ukrainian рік too), Russian the fate that is decreed.
Say instead: Russian 'year' is год; Polish and Czech 'deadline' is termín/termin; BCS 'year' is godina.
relatedcertain