Exercises for this card
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A2 · ⑲ False friends
False friends
Words that look borrowed and are not. The more familiar they seem, the more dangerous they are.
40minthe whole
sheet
34questions
in the practice
3pages,
one at a time
01 · First page · the ones that catch almost everybody
The map
actually
in fact, really — NOT currently. For that use currently or at the moment.
eventually
in the end, finally — NOT possibly. For that use possibly or if necessary.
sympathetic
showing understanding — NOT nice or friendly. For that use nice or likeable.
sensible
having good judgement — NOT easily hurt. For that use sensitive.
library
where you borrow books — NOT where you buy them. That is a bookshop.
pretend
to act as if — NOT to demand. For that use to claim or to demand.
assist
to help — NOT to attend. For that use to attend.
control
to have power over — NOT to check. For that use to check.
false friend: A false friend is a word that looks like one in your own language and means something else. It is more dangerous than a word you do not know, because you never look it up: you recognise it, use it with confidence, and say something you did not intend.
why they exist: Most of them come from Latin, borrowed twice into different languages at different times, and then drifted apart. That is why they cluster around abstract and formal vocabulary — exactly the words you reach for when you are trying to sound careful.
the safe habit: Suspicion is the whole technique. When a word looks too easy — when it seems you already know it without ever having learned it — that is precisely the moment to check. The words you struggle with are rarely the ones that betray you.
- Actually, I don't agree.
- We eventually found the hotel.
- She was very sympathetic when I told her.
- That's a sensible decision.
- I borrowed it from the library.
| The two meanings | ||
|---|---|---|
| The tempting word | What it really means | What you probably wanted |
| actually | in fact, really | currently, at the moment |
| eventually | in the end, finally | possibly, if necessary |
| sympathetic | understanding, compassionate | nice, friendly, likeable |
| sensible | showing good judgement | sensitive |
| pretend | to act as if | to claim, to demand |
| assist | to help | to attend, to be present at |
| control | to have power over | to check, to inspect |
| actual | real, true | current, present |
Golden rule
Distrust the words that feel free. A word you had to learn is a word you learned correctly; a word that arrived without effort probably arrived with the wrong meaning attached. If you can guess it without checking, check it.
Some false friends are merely odd; a few are embarrassing. Asking a colleague to assist a meeting means asking them to help it. Saying you will control their work means you will take charge of it, not check it. In a work email these two land badly, and neither of them looks like a mistake.
02 · Second page · grouped by what goes wrong
The families
Time words
The most frequent group, and the one that changes the meaning of a whole sentence.
actually ≠ currentlyeventually ≠ possiblyactual ≠ current
People words
Describing someone with the wrong one is the fastest way to be misunderstood.
sympathetic ≠ nicesensible ≠ sensitiveeducated ≠ polite
Work words
These appear in emails, where a wrong word is read carefully and remembered.
assist ≠ attendcontrol ≠ checkpretend ≠ claim
Everyday things
Less serious, but they make a sentence stop making sense.
library ≠ bookshopcamera ≠ roomconfetti ≠ sweets
Check the register
Many false friends are formal words. In speech there is usually a simpler safe one.
say help instead of assistsay check instead of control
Learn the pair
Never learn a false friend alone: learn it next to the word you actually wanted.
eventually / possiblysensible / sensitive
Watch the context
If the sentence suddenly sounds strange to the listener, a false friend is the usual cause.
a puzzled look is a signal
When in doubt, simplify
Replacing a doubtful word with two simple ones is always safe.
instead of eventually: in the end
The two that cost the most
actually and eventually are worth more attention than all the others together, because they are frequent, they sound intelligent, and they turn a sentence around without breaking it. Actually, I work in Berlin does not mean I currently work there — it means in fact I do, correcting something you believed. And We eventually cancelled the meeting does not mean we possibly did: it means we did, in the end. Both sentences are perfectly grammatical, so nobody corrects you — the listener simply understands something you never said. That is why these two are worth learning as a pair with their replacements: currently and possibly.
🌍 For everyone
The Latin words are shared, so the traps are shared too: actually, eventually, sympathetic, sensible, assist, control and pretend catch both groups in exactly the same way. These seven are the ones to learn first, whichever language you come from.
eventualmente / ewentualnie → possibly (not eventually)
A false friend never makes the sentence ungrammatical, which is exactly why it survives. Nobody will correct you, because there is nothing to correct — the sentence works, it simply says something else. The only defence is knowing the list in advance.
Actually I live in Berlin, but I'm moving next year. → Currently I live in Berlin, but I'm moving next year.
actually means in fact; for right now use currently.
We can eventually meet on Friday if you prefer. → We can possibly meet on Friday if you prefer.
eventually means in the end; for maybe use possibly.
My new colleague is very sympathetic. → My new colleague is very nice.
sympathetic means understanding of someone's trouble, not friendly.
She is very sensible about criticism. → She is very sensitive about criticism.
sensible is having good judgement; easily hurt is sensitive.
I will assist the meeting tomorrow. → I will attend the meeting tomorrow.
assist means to help; being present is to attend.
Could you control these figures for me? → Could you check these figures for me?
control means to have power over; verifying is to check.
I went to the library to buy a novel. → I went to the bookshop to buy a novel.
A library lends books; a bookshop sells them.
- I'm currently working from home.
- We finally found a solution.
- He was very kind about it.
- Could you check the numbers?
03 · Third page · now it's your turn
Exercises
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