'I'm normal' and 'touch myself': top 40 mistakes of Russian speakers in English
'01.11.2022'
Olga Derkach
There are many videos, different tops on the topic of mistakes in English. But Justin decided to go even further and collect them all in one list. The blogger spoke about 40 mistakes that Russian speakers make in English in their own language. YouTube channel called "Justin".
1. Feel myself
Russians are very fond of talking about how "well they touch themselves."
Hi! My name is Boris and I feel bad. - Hi! My name is Boris and I don't touch myself well.
And fixing this mistake is very simple - remove myself from the phrase. It will sound simple: I feel bad. And in this case, it will matter to feel bad.
2. I'm normal
Hey! How are you? – I am normal. (Hi! How are you? - I'm normal).
Americans never say normal when asked how are you. In this context, normal means that you are not mentally ill.
Instead, you can use I am great, I am doing pretty good.
3. To make/to do
If you cook something, make tea, then it will be to make.
And if you are doing some work, such as homework, then this is to do.
This is not to say that you will do your homework.
4. If/When + will
If it will rain toworrow I will go to the beach. You can not say that.
In Russian, this is possible: if I go, then I will; twice the future tense. But in English we only put will once and never before if.
It would be correct to say: If it rains toworrow I will go to the beach.
5.Comfortable/Convenient
Every Russian, without exception, makes this mistake.
If the chair is comfortable and you feel comfortable sitting in it, then it is comfortable.
But, if, for example, a restaurant or office is located in a convenient location, then it is convenient. If it is convenient for you to get somewhere, then this is also convenient.
6.Money is
We can't count money in English, yes, it's strange, but it's true.
Therefore, along with the word money, you need to use is / was.
6. Play on the piano/guitar/drums
In Russian they say to play something, but in English you don't need a preposition. So just say I play the guitar.
8. In the plane
If you are on a transport where you can get up and walk around, then you are on the plane/on the train/on the bus.
But, if you can't get up, then it will be in - in the car|in the taxi.
9. With who did you go to the cinema?
In English, the question does not start a preposition, it must be placed at the end of the sentence.
What are you thinking about? Who did you go to the cinema with?
10. Clothes
Here, Russians often make two syllables and pronounce it like something like "close" when in fact it's just "close".
11 Nike
We all know Nike, but it's actually Nike. And although many have already read about it, all the same, everyone stubbornly continues to say “nike”.
12. See/look/watch
In short, see - to see, look at - to look at something, and watch - to look or observe.
13. Enough well
This is tracing paper from Russian. Correct in English well enough.
She speaks English well enough.
14.Knowledges
This word is always pronounced without the s at the end.
15.An advice/advice
If you want to give someone advice, it's better to say I want to give you a piece of advice. The word advice already implies several tips, so it is also not used in the plural.
16. Fun/funny
These are different words. Fun can be a noun (fun, entertainment, entertainment), or an adjective, that is, this word is used if you are having a good time somewhere.
And funny is used only in cases where some situation makes us laugh.
17. Wanna an apple
The word wanna is slang and essentially consists of two words: want to. You don't say I want to an apple. Therefore wanna can only be used with verbs: I wanna eat an apple.
18. Beer/bear
The pronunciation of these words is similar and Russian speakers often confuse them in places. And it turns out that they saw a two-meter beer in the forest. Beer is always pronounced with an I, while bear is more like an E.
19. You should pay for the bill
Should we use when you can do it or not when you have a choice. But if you are obliged to do something, then you need to say have to / got to.
20. Do you want to hang out tonight?
To such a question, the Russians roll their eyes and say that it is too late for them to walk at night. But in English, tonight is not the same as night in Russian. Tonight in the understanding of the American is after 18:00.
On the subject: Six funny English idioms to cheer you up this autumn day
21. It depends on
So wrong. Russian-speakers translate the phrase “it depends on” too literally. With the word depends, the correct preposition is on.
22. I wait John
The correct translation of the phrase "I'm waiting for John (or someone else)" would be I wait for John. Because wait always comes with the preposition for.
23. I listen to music
Same type of error. Only listen of everything comes with to – I listen to a music.
24. Explain me
This is one of the most repeated mistakes that Russians make in English. They explain to someone, even in Russian it is a dative case. Correct: explain to me.
25. So/such
So is used when you have an adjective and there is no noun after the adjective. For example, she is so beautiful.
But if you want to say that someone is a good person, then you need to use such, because after it there will be a noun: She is such a beautiful person.
26. Write an exam/pass an exam
When you are just about to take an exam, then this is to write / to take. But when you have already successfully passed it, then you can say I passed an exam.
27.Learn/teach
Learn is to teach something, and teach is to teach someone. Everything is very simple.
28. Remember/remind
Here, too, everything is very simple. Remember is to remember, and remind is to remind.
29. So/too
If you want to say that you are too tired, or the prices in the restaurant are too high, it is too cold outside, then use too. You can't say that you are so tired, you are too tired.
30. I agree
Agree is already a verb, so am doesn't need to be used.
31. Breakfast
The article is not used with the names of meals. It is correct to say To have breakfast.
32. On the next week
When you say next week, next year, just say next week/next year and so on.
33. Yesterday I have bought a car
When you use the Present Perfect you don't say exactly when it happened. So just say I have bought a car.
34. He told me
In this construction, told me is used, and in the case of he said, it is obligatory to me or he said that.
35. I'm boring
It sounds like a joke on oneself, because literally it means "I'm boring." If you want to say that you are bored, then it is correct to say I am bored.
36.Welcome
When Russian speakers try to look cool and speak like native speakers, they shorten the phrase You are welcome to just welcome. But that's not possible. Always say the full version of the phrase.
37. Are you tired?
Tired is not a verb, but an adjective, so you need to use Are you tired?
38. Native city
This is again a literal translation from Russian of the phrase "hometown", but in English there is no native city, the hometown is called hometown.
39.Watches
Hours are not plural. watch only.
40. High man
If you say that someone is tall, then it is correct to use tall. He is so tall.