List of false friends(Romanian-English)

actual (real, true) - actual (current, up-to-date)

affluent (rich) - afluent (tributary river)

apology (excuse, bid for forgiveness) - apologie (commendation, defensive

discourse for someone)

to apply (to put into use-to be appropriate-to put a substance on another-to

demand, request, as in employment-to work hard) - a aplica (every other meaning
except to request employmen)

arm (limb, weapon) - armă (only weapon)

cap (hat, bottle seal) - cap (head)

car (automobile) - car (carriage)

casual (informal-but also occasional-spontaneous) - cazual

(accidental-circumstantial-but also case related in grammar)

caution (attention, care) - cauțiune (bail, guarantee)

chef (cook) - chef (mood, feast)

chef (cook) - șef (boss)

 chin (body part) - chin (torment)

cognate (related, with similar origin) - cumnat (brother-in-law)

cold (chilly) - cald (warm)

comma (punctuation mark) - comă (coma)

commercial (advert-concerning business) - comercial (only concerning business,

never advert)

condescending (arrogant, patronizing) - condescendent (respectful)

confectionery (bakery) - confecționare (manufacturing)

crime (infraction) - crimă (murder)

cutie (cute child or attractive woman) - cutie (box)

effective (efficient) - efectiv (really, strength)

entitled (holding right to something-rarely, designated) - intitulat (titled)

eventual (inevitable, ulterior-also possible) - eventual (only possible)

fabric (cloth, material) - fabrică (factory)

far (distant) - far (lighthouse-headlight)

 feud (rivalry, conflict) - feudă (feudal possession)

figure (number-form-image, model-famous person; never face) - figură (form,

image, model, human face, famous person; never number)

fortune (luck, money) - furtună (storm)

glass (material-beaker-mirror) - glas (voice)

grave (tomb, serious) - grav (only serious)

gymnasium (sports arena) - gimnaziu (middle school)

ham (cold cut) - ham (interjection corresponding to a dog’s bark)

library (book collection from which one can borrow) - librărie (bookstore)

horn (antler-alarm) - horn (chimney)

jar (flask, jug) - jar (burning coal, heat, fire)

lack (absence) - lac (lake)

machine (machinery) - mașină (car, but also machinery)

mere (bare, sheer) - mere (apples)

mare (female horse) - mare (big)

miserable (unhappy-unfortunate) - mizerabil (dirty)

 nervous (afraid-agitated) - nervos (angry)

novel (fictional book) - nuvelă (short story)

mercy (clemency) - merci (thanks)

pace (step, rhythm) - pace (peace)

pat (tap, touch) - pat (bed)

petrol (British for gas) - petrol (oil, petroleum)

physician (medic) - fizician (physicist)

plane (aeroplane, mathematical plane, two dimensional suface; never plan) - plan
(plan; never aeroplane, but all of the other sense of plane)

pork (pig’s meat) - porc (the pig itself)

prize (award) - prize (electrical outlets)

prospect (outlook) - prospect (prospectus)

rest (downtime-remainder) - rest (money change after a transaction-remainder)

to sanction (usually to authorize, but rarely to impose sanctions) - a sancționa (only

to impose sanctions, punish)
 sanity (mental health) - sănătate (general health)

sever (to cut off) - sever (severe)

scholar (erudite) - școlar (pupil, student)

scope (breadth) - scop (purpose)

soda (soft drink) - sodă (baking soda, sodium carbonate)

stamina (endurance) - stamină (stamen)

to supply (to provide) - a suplini (to substitute)

sympathetic (affectionate, agreeable) - simpatic (funny)

verse (stanza) - vers (lyric)

 A particular group of false friends are ones that were adopted from

English but changed their meaning in Romanian:

miting or meeting = rally or street protest (not meeting)

spleen = satiated boredom that comes from having too much money and free time
(not the organ in the body, although that’s where the term comes from)

hater = negative person who criticizes (rather than envious person)

golghetter = highest scoring player on a team (not goal-getter)

trend = in fashion (rather than trendy)

smoking = tuxedo (nothing to do with the action of smoking, it comes from

“smoking suit”)

trening = gym suit (not “training”, but probably comes from “training suit”)

bascheţi = basketball shoes (not “baskets”)

henţ = handball in soccer/football (although it is a phonetic

transliteration of the word “hands”)

şut = shot, in a sport, such as soccer/football or hockey (although it is a

phonetic transliteration of the word “shoot”, not “shot”)

bişniţă = shady, black market dealings (rather than “business”)