False friends: English and Uzbek

30 English words that look like Uzbek words but mean something else — the traps Uzbek speakers fall into most often.

Many international words came into Uzbek through Russian, and a large part of them go back to Latin, Greek and French — the same sources English drew on. So plenty of English words look familiar to an Uzbek speaker, and most of them do mean the same thing. The ones below don't.

Each word below has its real meaning in Uzbek, the Uzbek word it gets confused with, and how to say that word in English.

Test yourself ↓

Words that don't mean what they seem

magazine A1

Means: jurnal
Not: magazin → shop, store

Magazine means «jurnal», a thin periodical with pictures and stories, not «magazin» (which is a shop or store in English).

I bought a magazine at the airport.

family A1

Means: oila
Not: familiya → surname, last name

Family means «oila», your parents, children and other close people, not «familiya» (which is a surname or last name in English).

My family is small, but my surname is long.

actual B1

Means: haqiqiy
Not: aktual → relevant, topical

Actual means real or true («haqiqiy»), not «aktual» (which is relevant or topical in English).

The actual price was lower than I thought.

sympathetic B2

Means: hamdard
Not: simpatik → nice-looking, likeable

Sympathetic means understanding someone's feelings («hamdard»), not «simpatik» (which is nice-looking or likeable in English).

She was very sympathetic when I lost my job.

ball A1

Means: toʻp
Not: ball → score, points

A ball is «toʻp», the round thing used in games, not «ball» as in exam points (which is score or points in English).

He kicked the ball over the fence.

cartoon A1

Means: multfilm
Not: karton → cardboard

A cartoon is «multfilm» or a funny drawing, not «karton» (which is cardboard in English).

We watched a funny cartoon last night.

cabinet B1

Means: shkaf
Not: kabinet → office, study room

A cabinet is a cupboard («shkaf») or a group of government ministers, not «kabinet» (which is an office or a study in English).

The plates are in the kitchen cabinet.

costume A2

Means: sahna libosi, maskarad kiyimi
Not: kostyum → suit

A costume is special clothes for the stage or a party, not «kostyum» (which is a suit in English).

She wore a cat costume to the party.

accurate B1

Means: aniq
Not: akkurat → neat, tidy

Accurate means exact, with no mistakes («aniq»), not «akkurat» (which is neat or tidy in English).

The map is old, but it is accurate.

mayor B1

Means: hokim
Not: mayor → army major

A mayor is the head of a city («shahar hokimi»), not «mayor» the army rank (which is major in English).

The mayor opened the new park.

fabric B2

Means: mato
Not: fabrika → factory

Fabric means cloth («mato»), not «fabrika» (which is a factory in English).

This fabric is soft and cheap.

gymnasium B1

Means: sport zali
Not: gimnaziya → secondary school, grammar school

A gymnasium (or gym) is a sports hall («sport zali»), not «gimnaziya» (which is a secondary school or grammar school in English).

We play volleyball in the gymnasium.

prospect B1

Means: istiqbol, imkoniyat
Not: prospekt → avenue, wide street

A prospect is a chance of something happening in the future («istiqbol»), not «prospekt» (which is an avenue in English).

The prospect of a new job made her happy.

patron B2

Means: doimiy mijoz, homiy
Not: patron → cartridge

A patron is a regular customer or a sponsor («doimiy mijoz», «homiy»), not «patron» (which is a cartridge in English).

The restaurant thanked its regular patrons.

pretend A2

Means: oʻzini …dek koʻrsatmoq
Not: pretendent → contender, claimant

Pretend means to act as if something is true when it is not, not to lay claim like a «pretendent» (which is a contender or claimant in English).

He pretended to be asleep.

brilliant A2

Means: aʼlo, ajoyib
Not: brilyant → cut diamond

Brilliant means very smart or very good («aʼlo», «ajoyib»), not «brilyant» (which is a diamond in English).

That was a brilliant idea!

anecdote C1

Means: qisqa hikoya, voqea
Not: anekdot → joke

An anecdote is a short interesting story about a real event, not «anekdot» (which is a joke in English).

He told an anecdote about his first job.

stool B1

Means: tabure
Not: stul → chair

A stool is a seat with no back («tabure»), not «stul» (which is a chair in English).

I stood on a stool to reach the shelf.

balloon A2

Means: shar
Not: ballon → gas cylinder

A balloon is a thin bag filled with air («shar»), not «ballon» (which is a gas cylinder in English).

We filled the room with red balloons.

preservative B2

Means: konservant
Not: prezervativ → condom

A preservative is a substance that keeps food fresh («konservant»), not «prezervativ» (which is a condom in English).

This juice has no preservatives.

Words that only sometimes match

These share one meaning with the look-alike, but usually mean something else — see the example.

machine A1 sometimes

Means: apparat, mexanizm
Not: mashina → car

A machine is a device with parts that does work (like «kir yuvish mashinasi», a washing machine), but «mashina» meaning a car is car in English.

This machine makes ice cream.

artist A1 sometimes

Means: rassom
Not: artist → performer, actor, singer

An artist is usually a painter or another creator («rassom»); «artist» on stage is more often a performer or an actor, though singers are called artists too.

My sister is an artist; she paints portraits.

invalid B1 sometimes

Means: yaroqsiz
Not: invalid → person with a disability

Invalid usually means not valid («yaroqsiz»), like a password or a ticket. The dated noun an invalid is a very ill person; for «invalid» in the Uzbek sense say a person with a disability.

This password is invalid.

deputy B2 sometimes

Means: oʻrinbosar
Not: deputat → member of parliament

A deputy is the person who acts for a leader («oʻrinbosar»). Members of some parliaments are called deputies too, but «deputat» is usually a member of parliament in English.

The deputy manager signed the paper.

journal A2 sometimes

Means: kundalik, ilmiy jurnal
Not: jurnal → magazine

A journal is a diary or an academic periodical («kundalik», ilmiy jurnal); an ordinary «jurnal» with pictures and articles is a magazine.

I write in my journal every night.

spirit B1 sometimes

Means: ruh
Not: spirt → alcohol, rubbing alcohol

Spirit means soul or the way someone feels inside («ruh»), as in team spirit. «Spirt» is alcohol in English, though strong drinks are called spirits.

The team showed great spirit today.

technique B1 sometimes

Means: usul, mahorat
Not: texnika → machinery, equipment

Technique means a skilled way of doing something (like «suzish texnikasi»). «Texnika» meaning machines and devices is equipment or machinery in English.

She learned a new swimming technique.

command B1 sometimes

Means: buyruq bermoq
Not: komanda → team, crew

Command means an order or to give an order, where «komanda» also fits. But «komanda» meaning a team is team in English.

The captain gave a clear command.

buffet B1 sometimes

Means: shved stoli
Not: bufet → snack bar, canteen

A buffet is a meal where you serve yourself («shved stoli»); a small «bufet» at school or work is a snack bar or canteen in English.

Breakfast at the hotel is a buffet.

blank A2 sometimes

Means: boʻsh
Not: blank → form (to fill in)

Blank means empty, with nothing written on it («boʻsh»), not «blank» (which is a form to fill in in English).

Leave the box blank.

Test yourself: which translation is right?

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Questions

What are false friends in Uzbek and English?

False friends (in Uzbek «soxta doʻstlar» or «tarjimonning soxta doʻstlari») are words in two languages that look or sound alike but have different meanings. A classic case is English «magazine» (jurnal) and Uzbek «magazin» (shop or store in English).

Why are there so many false friends between English and Uzbek?

Many international words reached Uzbek through Russian, and many of them come from Latin, Greek and French, which English also borrowed from. The spelling stayed similar, while the meanings developed separately in each language.

How do I stop mixing them up?

Learn each word with an example sentence rather than as a one-word translation, and check familiar-looking words too. Practising the tricky ones a few days apart helps the right meaning stick.

Levels (A1–C2) and translations come from the WordStudy dictionary. Spotted a mistake? Write to words.study.project@gmail.com.