Finding Czech words that sound just like English words can feel like hitting the jackpot.

You hear a word, recognize it, and think, “Awesome, I already know what that means!”

But be careful.

While many words are indeed similar (like restaurace for restaurant), there are some sneaky words waiting to trick you.

In language learning, we call these false friends.

If you want to sound natural and avoid some funny (or confusing) misunderstandings, you need to know what these words actually mean. Keep reading, and I’ll explain the most common Czech false friends you need to watch out for.

What are false friends?

In second language acquisition, “false friends” (or falešní přátelé in Czech) are words in two different languages that look or sound very similar, but have completely different meanings.

They are tricky because your brain naturally wants to link the new Czech word to the English word you already know.

Relying on false friends can lead to some awkward conversations. For example, if you tell a Czech person you are going to the gymnázium to lift weights, they will look at you very strangely!

Let’s dive into the top 5 tricky words you need to know.

1. Aktuální vs actual

This is probably the number one mistake English speakers make when speaking Czech.

In English, “actual” means real or true.

But in Czech, aktuální means current or up-to-date. It is used to talk about things happening right now, like current events or the latest news.

If you want to say “actual” or “real” in Czech, you should use the words skutečný or opravdový.

2. Gymnázium vs gym

If you want to go work out and lift some weights, do not ask for directions to the gymnázium!

In Czech, a gymnázium is an academic high school or grammar school. It has absolutely nothing to do with sports or working out.

So, where do you go if you want to exercise?

You go to the tělocvična (a traditional gymnasium or sports hall) or a posilovna (a fitness center). As a quick regional and colloquial tip: young people in the Czech Republic today often just call the gym fitko.

3. Sympatický vs sympathetic

If your friend is having a bad day, you might want to be “sympathetic” to them.

However, the Czech word sympatický does not mean showing pity or sorrow for someone else. Instead, sympatický simply means nice, likable, or pleasant.

We use it all the time to describe people who give off a good vibe or who we instantly like.

If you want to say you are sympathetic or feeling pity for someone in Czech, you would use the word soucítící (compassionate/sympathizing).

4. Kontrolovat vs control

This false friend causes a lot of confusion in the workplace!

In English, “to control” means to have power over something, to manage it, or to command it.

But in Czech, kontrolovat means to check or to inspect.

For example, a ticket inspector on the Prague tram kontroluje (checks) your ticket. A teacher kontroluje (checks) your homework. They are not taking power over your ticket or your homework; they are just making sure it is correct!

If you want to say “control” in the sense of managing or operating something, you should use ovládat (to control a machine/situation) or řídit (to steer/manage).

5. Host vs host

This one is actually the exact opposite of its English meaning!

In English, a host is the person throwing the party or inviting people over.

In Czech, a host (pronounced with a hard “h” and a short “o”) is the guest!

If you want to talk about the person who is hosting the event, the Czech word is hostitel.

Summary table of Czech false friends

To make things easy to remember, here is a quick summary table of the false friends we just covered. You can use this as a cheat sheet for your studies!

Keep practicing your vocabulary

Learning false friends is a normal part of mastering any language. Don’t worry if you mix them up a few times - Czech natives are usually very forgiving and will understand from the context what you actually meant to say.

The best way to remember the true meaning of these words is to practice using them in full sentences, just like the dialogues above.