Spot the English words that trick you

A free reference for English false friends — words that look almost identical to a word in your own language but mean something completely different. Choose your language pair, browse the traps side by side, then test yourself in quiz mode. Available for Russian, German, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

How to use it

1
Pick your language

Choose the pair — English with Russian, German, Spanish, French or Portuguese.

2
Browse the traps

See the English word and the look-alike, each with its real meaning.

3
Take the quiz

Choose the true English meaning and avoid the false-friend trap.

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Features

False friends for five language pairs English and look-alike meanings side by side A quiz that drills the real meaning Instant search across every pair Score and streak in quiz mode

What you can do

  • See English false friends paired with Russian, German, Spanish, French or Portuguese
  • Compare the English meaning and the misleading look-alike side by side
  • Search instantly for a word you are unsure about
  • Quiz yourself by picking the real meaning over the trap
  • Track your score so you can see which traps still catch you

Why false friends matter more than they look

False friends are dangerous precisely because they feel safe. When an English word looks exactly like a word in your language, your brain skips the dictionary and assumes the meaning — and that is when "embarrassed" becomes "pregnant", "magazine" becomes "shop", or "gift" becomes "poison". These mistakes are not random; they are predictable from your first language, which means they can be learned away in advance. This tool gathers the false friends specific to your language pair, shows the English meaning next to the misleading one so the difference is unmistakable, and then quizzes you until the safe-looking word triggers a second look instead of a wrong guess.

Frequently asked questions

What is a false friend?

A false friend is a word that looks or sounds like a word in another language but means something different — like English "actual" (real) and Spanish "actual" (current).

Which language pairs are covered?

English paired with Russian, German, Spanish, French and Portuguese. The tool picks the pair matching your interface language automatically, and you can switch any time.

How does the quiz work?

It shows an English word and two meanings — the real English one and the false-friend trap. You choose, and it confirms or explains the trap.

Are these the same as cognates?

A true cognate shares both form and meaning. A false friend (or false cognate) shares the form but not the meaning — that is the trap.

Will more language pairs be added?

The current pairs cover the languages where look-alike traps are most common. More may be added over time.

💡 Want us to improve this tool just for you?

We can — and it's free! Just send us a quick message with your idea. If you'd like to discuss it in detail, leave your email and we'll get back to you. You can stay anonymous.

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