Confusing english words for Russian and Ukrainian speakers when learning English

Round 1: Gossip vs Rumour
Gossip (v.n): This refers to people talking to each other about something that is unlikely to be true.
Examples: They are always gossiping / She loves to gossip.

Rumour(n): This is the result of one person telling someone, usually a group, about something that usually isn’t true.
Examples: It’s just a rumour. It won’t happen / There’s a rumour going around that… /

Russians / Ukrainians: The phrase you most likely will need is ‘It’s just a rumour’

Winner: Rumour

Round 2: Nervous vs Annoyed
Nervous (adj): a feeling of worry you get before something is about to happen.
Example: I always feel nervous in the waiting room at a job interview / I’m feeling nervous, I don’t know why It's our 3rd date / I never get nervous.

Annoy (v,adj): something that makes you a bit angry.
Example: He always talks about football. It’s so annoying / Why are you so annoyed?

Russian / Ukrainian: Be aware of the situation before you use nervous.

Winner: Annoyed

Round 3: Trauma v Injury
Trauma(n): a very formal medical word for injury.
Example: As we can see from the scan, he has a small trauma to his upper spine.

Injury(n,v,adj): when you hurt yourself by doing something. More commonly used as ‘injured’
Example: I can’t play football for two days because I injured my back at work.

Russian / Ukrainian: Unless you’re a doctor…. Stick to injury/injured.

Winner: Injury

Round 4: Sensitive v Sensible
Sensitive(adj): She is the sister whose emotions can be easily affected.
Example: I only said I didn’t like her dress and she started crying. Of course, she did, she is very sensitive.

Sensible: She is the sister who thinks about her actions before she does them.
Example: Give the responsibility to Sarah she is sensible / it’s not sensible to drink alcohol EVERYday.

Russians / Ukrainians: Get comfortable with them both and start using sensible more.

Winner: both

Round 5: Fun vs Funny
Fun(adj,n): this is the feeling of enjoyment.
Example: The film was so much fun. I would watch it again.

Funny(adj): this is when something makes us laugh.
Example: The film was so funny, I couldn’t stop laughing.

Russians / Ukrainians: Don’t be afraid to use fun. Not everything is funny 😉

Winner: Fun

Round 6: Episode v Series
Episode(n): 1 part of a series.
Example: I have watched 3 episodes already.

Series(n): A collection of episodes. The American word season is also very popular. It means the same.
Example: I don’t know what I’m going to watch after the last series of my favourite TV show.

Russians / Ukrainians: Be careful when you say you watched one series when you mean episode. It can change the whole context.

Winner: Episode

Round 7: Translation v Broadcast
Translation(v,n): Converting one language into another
Example: You’re smart enough. You don’t need one.

Broadcast(v,n): The transmission of TV channels and radio.
Example: They don’t broadcast BBC 1 in foreign countries / they don’t show the boxing on that channel

Russians / Ukrainians: Broadcast is still a rather former word, so I’d replace it simply with ‘show’ if they don’t ‘translate’ the channel or event in your country

Winner: Broadcast – although simply show is still best.

Round 8: Borrow v Lend vs Give
Remember borrow means it will go two-ways, to you, and then back. Give only goes one-way, so that piece of paper you need is going to be a give. It’s best to remember these set phrases

Could I borrow….
Could YOU lend me…
Could you give me….
I’m BORROWING something FROM someone
I’m LENDING something TO someone

Round 9: Look after vs Take care
Look after(PV): To monitor someone and make sure they are OK
Examples: I need to look after my kids / I’m looking after my friends’ dog while they are on holiday

Take care(PV): To provide someone with medical or financial help
Example: My grandma took care of me when my parents died / My sugar daddy takes care of my rent, so I don’t have to worry about paying it.

Russians / Ukrainians: More often than not we need look after because we often talk about monitoring someone or something.

Winner: Look after

Round 10: Lost vs Forgot
Lost(v): You don’t know where something is and can’t find it.
Example: I’ve lost my…. Do you know where it is? / I’ve lost his number.

Forgot(v): You know where something is but not have it when you are suppose to.
Example: You’ve forgotten your….

Russians / Ukrainians: Phrases to remember are ‘You’ve forgot your… in…” and to remember if someone drops something, and you see it fall to the ground, but they don’t, a simple ‘ You’ve dropped your…’ works perfectly

Winner: both

Bonus Round: Go shopping vs Do shopping
Go shopping: To buy everything that isn’t food
Example: I did to go shopping after work to buy a TV

Do shopping: To buy food
Example: I need to go and do the shopping after work because of the coronavirus 

You can find PART TWO HERE...

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