False friends: Albanian words that sound Ukrainian

po

[по]

Sounds like:

по (прийменник)

Actually means:

yes

💡 "Po" = yes, "Jo" = no.

baba

[баба]

Sounds like:

баба (бабуся)

Actually means:

dad, father

💡 Grandmother is "gjyshe", grandfather "gjysh".

bukë

[буке]

Sounds like:

бука (страховисько)

Actually means:

bread

💡 "Ha bukë" (lit. eat bread) = to have a meal.

ditë

[діте]

Sounds like:

діти, дитя

Actually means:

day

💡 Hence "Mirëdita" (good day). Children = "fëmijë".

gropë

[ґропе]

Sounds like:

гроб

Actually means:

pit, hole; pothole

💡 A pit or pothole — not a speed bump.

kolibe

[колібе]

Sounds like:

колиба (затишна гуцульська хата / ресторан)

Actually means:

hut, shack; doghouse

💡 A poor shack or a doghouse, not a cosy chalet.

dosë

[досе]

Sounds like:

доза

Actually means:

sow (female pig); also a crude insult for a woman

💡 Dose (of medicine) is "dozë" with a z.

kafe

[кафе]

Sounds like:

кафе (заклад)

Actually means:

coffee (usually espresso); brown

💡 The cafe itself is a "bar", "lokal" or "kafene".

bar

[бар]

Sounds like:

бар (алкогольний)

Actually means:

grass; medicine (pl. barna); also a café-bar

💡 In town a "bar" is mainly a coffee place. Medicines: "barna" or "ilaçe".

mal

[мал]

Sounds like:

малий, мало

Actually means:

mountain

💡 Hence "çaj mali" (mountain tea). "mall" = longing.

dhe

[де]

Sounds like:

де (питальне)

Actually means:

and; (noun) earth, soil

💡 "Where?" is "Ku?".

kur

[кур]

Sounds like:

кури (курей)

Actually means:

when

💡 "Kur vjen?" — when are you coming?

darkë

[дарке]

Sounds like:

Дарка (Дарина)

Actually means:

dinner, supper

💡 Lunch "drekë", breakfast "mëngjes".

mish

[міш]

Sounds like:

миша

Actually means:

meat

💡 Mouse is "mi".

ujë

[ує]

Sounds like:

уже, вуж

Actually means:

water

💡 Tap water ("ujë çezme") is usually not recommended for drinking.

verë

[вере]

Sounds like:

віра, Віра

Actually means:

wine; summer

💡 Two homonyms: wine and summer.

sot

[сот]

Sounds like:

соти, сотня

Actually means:

today

💡 "sot në mbrëmje" — this evening.

pastë

[пасте]

Sounds like:

паста (макарони)

Actually means:

pastry, small cake; paste

💡 In a pastry shop "pasta" means cakes. Pasta (noodles) is "makarona".

lis

[ліс]

Sounds like:

ліс

Actually means:

oak tree

💡 Forest is "pyll".

kalë

[кале]

Sounds like:

кал

Actually means:

horse

💡 Don't confuse with "kala" — castle.

pulë

[пуле]

Sounds like:

пуля (розм.)

Actually means:

chicken, hen

💡 "pulë e pjekur" — roast chicken.

rosë

[росе]

Sounds like:

роса

Actually means:

duck

💡 Dew is "vesë".

plak

[плак]

Sounds like:

плакати, плач

Actually means:

old man

💡 Old woman: "plakë". To cry: "qaj".

bie

[біе]

Sounds like:

б'є

Actually means:

to fall; (of rain, snow) to come down

💡 "Bie shi" — it's raining.

borë

[боре]

Sounds like:

бір (сосновий)

Actually means:

snow

💡 "Bie borë" — it's snowing.

tani

[тані]

Sounds like:

Тані (від Таня)

Actually means:

now

💡 "Tani vij" — I'm coming right now.

lot

[лот]

Sounds like:

лот (на аукціоні)

Actually means:

tear (from crying)

💡 "me lot në sy" — with tears in one's eyes.

kat

[кат]

Sounds like:

кат (виконавець страти)

Actually means:

floor, storey

💡 "Në cilin kat?" — which floor?

derë

[дере]

Sounds like:

дере (від «дерти»)

Actually means:

door

💡 "Mbylle derën!" — close the door!

plot

[плот]

Sounds like:

пліт

Actually means:

full; plenty

💡 "plot njerëz" — full of people.

banjë

[банє]

Sounds like:

баня, лазня

Actually means:

bathroom (often incl. toilet); bath

💡 "Ku është banja?" — where's the bathroom?

dhomë

[доме]

Sounds like:

дома, дім

Actually means:

room

💡 House: "shtëpi". Bedroom: "dhomë gjumi".

magazinë

[маґазіне]

Sounds like:

магазин

Actually means:

warehouse, storeroom

💡 A shop is "dyqan".

akull

[акул]

Sounds like:

акула

Actually means:

ice

💡 "me akull" — with ice; ice cream is "akullore".

dajë

[дає]

Sounds like:

дай

Actually means:

maternal uncle; respectful address to an older man

💡 Paternal uncle: "xhaxha". "Give me": "më jep".

erë

[ере]

Sounds like:

ера

Actually means:

wind; smell

💡 "Fryn erë" — the wind blows; "ka erë të keqe" — it smells bad.

lugë

[луґе]

Sounds like:

луг

Actually means:

spoon

💡 Cutlery: lugë (spoon), pirun (fork), thikë (knife).

pjatë

[п'яте]

Sounds like:

п'ять, п'яте

Actually means:

plate; dish

💡 "pjata e ditës" — dish of the day.

pirun

[пірун]

Sounds like:

Перун

Actually means:

fork

💡 "Më sillni një pirun, ju lutem" — bring me a fork, please.