I had previously posted this in three parts, but recently decided to consolidate it into one post and add some more words to it, as well as alphabetize the list by the first entry. I did that because I was having a hard time figuring out whether I had already included words, so alphabetizing them and having them in one list will make it easier to determine whether I have already considered any given words. From now on I will just add words to this post when I have identified more easily confused words.
When you are learning Polish, there are a whole lot of words that can be easily confused with each other. For an English speaker, this is compounded because all the words are tongue twisters anyway. You have no idea how many times I repeated the words "coś zjeść" (something to eat) over and over again before I could finally say them somewhat reliably.
Plus, when you learn new words that are similar to other words you knew, it can suddenly create a minefield of confusion.
Here are some words that I have gotten mixed up about at one time or another:
bezbronny – defenseless, unprotected
nieuchronny – inevitable
chwała – glory
chwila – moment, while
czeluść – abyss, depths
czułość – sensitivity, tenderness, sentimentality
cześć – reverence, worship (also used as "hello" or "goodbye" informally)
część – portion, part, section, piece
sześć – six
dokonany – accomplished, executed
pokonany – defeated
dowód – evidence, proof
powód – reason, cause, ground, motive
flet – flute
flota – fleet
gałka -- knob, ball (like an eyeball), scoop (as in ice cream)
pałka -- club (cudgel)
grzywka – fringe (hair)
grzywna – fine
grzywa – mane
kaczka – duck
paczka – package
taczka – wheelbarrow
teczka – briefcase, folder
komar – mosquito, gnat
konar – bough, branch
koparka – excavator
kopiarka – photocopier
kosa – scythe
koza – goat
kotlina – basin, hollow
kotwica – anchor
lawina – avalanche
macica – womb
leżak – deckchair
lizak – lollipop
lina – rope, cable, line
linia – line, route
łaska – favor, grace, mercy, generosity
łuska – (fish) scale, husk, (ammunition) shell
mąka – flour (I picture myself going into a sklep spożywczy [grocery store] and asking for a kilo of wheat torture, please)
męka – torture, torment
nadludzki – superhuman
przeludnienie – overpopulation
nadmiernie – excessively
niezmiernie – extremely, immensely, very
nawias – bracket, parenthesis
zawias – hinge
niezniszczalny – indestructible
znieczulenie – anesthesia
oparty – based, grounded, founded
uparty – stubborn, obstinate
opór – opposition, resistance
upór – obstinacy, stubbornness, determination
odprawa – briefing, clearance, gratuity, rebuff
oprawa – frame, rim, cover, binding (book)
pochodzenie – origin, descent
pogodzenie – reconciliation, resignation
początkowy – initial, preliminary, elementary
porządkowy – serial, ordinal
podeszwa – sole
poszewka – pillowcase
pokrywka – lid, cover
pokrzywa – stinging nettle
poprawienie – improvement, correction, revision
uprawnienie – entitlement, right, authorization
poszewka – pillowcase
soczewka – lens
potwierdzenie – confirmation, corroboration
stwierdzenie – statement, assertion
poważanie – respect, esteem, deference
poważnie – seriously, gravely, with dignity
powtórnie – once again, one more time
powtórzenie – repetition
pozbawiony – deprived
rozbawiony – amused
pozór – pretense, appearance
pożar – blaze, conflagration
przyczyna – cause, reason
przyzwoity – decent, proper
przygoda – adventure
przyroda – nature
ręcznik – towel
rzecznik – spokesman
rzeźnik - butcher
szczepionka – vaccine
szczypiorek – chive
skazany – condemned, doomed
wskazany – advisable
spinacz – paper clip
szpinak – spinach
wspinacz – climber
sporny – controversial, debatable
spójny – coherent
stały – solid, constant, permanent, direct (current)
trwały – permanent, durable, enduring, lasting (probably both these words mean pretty much the same thing except for maybe the “direct current” [prąd stały] connotation; I've seen both “stały związek” and “trwały związek” for “steady relationship”)
ścierka – dishcloth
ścieżka – path
świt – dawn, daybreak
świta – suite, retinue, entourage
trujący – poisonous, toxic
trwający – lasting
uderzenie – blow, stroke, hit
zdarzenie – event, occurrence
zderzenie – collision, crash
uległy – submissive, docile, compliant
upadły – bankrupt, fallen
ułożony – arranged, well-mannered
złożony – complex, composite, compound
uwieńczony – crowned, adorned with wreaths
uwięziony – trapped, stuck, imprisoned
wadliwy – defective, faulty
wątpliwy – questionable, doubtful
wezwanie – call, summons
wyznanie – confession, admission, religion
wyzwanie – challenge
zerwanie – rupture
zeznanie – testimony
władanie – reign, possession
włamanie – burglary
właśnie – just, exactly
własny – (someone's) own
wpływ – influence, impact
wstyd – shame, disgrace
wygląd – appearance, looks
wzgląd – regard, consideration, respect
wykaz – list, statement
wyraz – expression, word
zabarwienie – tinge, tint
zbawienie – rescue, deliverance, salvation, redemption
zabieg – procedure, treatment, operation
zasięg – range, reach
zbocze – slope
zboże – corn, cereal, grain
Other potentially confusing items:
Phrases with "północ" can be confusing because the word can either mean "north" or "midnight":
na północy – in the north
na północ – to the north
z północy – from the north
o północy – at midnight
"Południe" can mean either "south" or "noon" as well:
na południe – to the south
na południu – in the south
z południa – from the south
po południu – in the afternoon
w południe – at midday
There are also a whole bunch of words that have to do with thinking and/or mental processes that either contain "-myśl" or "-mysł" (where the accented mark switches between the "s" and the "l". There are just so many that it makes my head swim.
Also I have mixed up a lot of words that start with "przy"- and "prze-".
I'd be interested in hearing what words you have gotten mixed up with other words in any languages you were studying.
