Common Words in Portuguese and Slovak, but different in English

In our next article we will show you some words that are phonetically and in meaning surprisingly the same in Portuguese and Slovak (and often in Czech) language, but different in English. Therefore as an expat in Portugal, sometimes it is easier to use the word from your mother tongue than trying to explain it in English 🙂 Please comment with more words from your mother tongue if you discover any (especially Slavic, Germanic and Nordic languages might be interesting).

• PT betão – SK betón – EN concrete

• PT revisor – SK revízor – EN ticket inspector

• PT medusa – SK medúza – EN jellyfish

• PT camião – SK kamión – EN truck

• PT ananás – SK ananás – EN pineapple

• PT papagaio – SK papagáj – EN parrot

• PT escola – SK škola – EN school

• PT telenovela – SK telenovela – EN soap opera¹

• PT parasol² – SK parazól³ – EN umbrella

• SK volant – PT volante – EN steering wheel

• SK akcia – PT ação – EN share

• SK páv – PT pavão – EN peacock

• SK faktúra – PT fatura – EN invoice

• SK cibuľa – PT cebola – EN onion

• SK víno – PT vinho – EN wine

• SK svokra – PT sogra – EN mother-in-law

• SK gaštan – PT castanho – EN chestnut

• SK lupa – PT lupa – EN magnifying glass

• CZ bota – PT bota – EN boot

• SK muška – PT mosca – EN fly

1. although you may also say “telenovela” in English, but it is not used that often ↩︎
2. although “parasol” in Portuguese means rather sun umbrella ↩︎
3. used in slang ↩︎