Similar Words With Different Meanings

There are words in every language that look/sound almost or entirely the same, but you should be careful with the meaning of such words.

szék – chair; it is pronounced similarly to sake
the Hungarian word for sake is kedv

kép – picture; it is pronounced similarly to cape
the Hungarian word for cape is köpeny

csík – stripe; it is pronounced similarly to cheek
the Hungarian word for cheek is orca

puszi – kiss on the cheek; it is pronounced similarly to pussy
the Hungarian word for pussy is cica; (and also punci > children’s word for vagina)

bél – bowels; it is pronounced similarly to bale
the Hungarian word for bale is balszerencse; csomag

szél – wind; it is pronounced similarly to sale
the Hungarian word for sale is eladás

kéj – lust, sensual pleasure; it is pronounced similarly to the letter K > kay

mer – to dare; it is pronounced similarly to mare
the Hungarian word for mare is kanca

tél – winter; it is pronounced similarly to tale
the Hungarian word for tale is mese

szól – to inform, to tell; it is pronounced similarly to soul
the Hungarian word for soul is lélek

bór – boron; it is pronounced similarly to bore
the Hungarian word for bore is furat; unalmas ember

csók – kiss; it is pronounced similarly to choke
the Hungarian word for choke is fuldoklás

pók – spider; it is pronounced similarly to poke
the Hungarian word for poke is bökés

– horse; it is pronounced similarly to low
the Hungarian word for low is alacsony

sz – ready; it is pronounced similarly to case
the Hungarian word for case is eset

méz – honey; it is pronounced similarly to maze
the Hungarian word for maze is útvesztő, labirintus

réz – copper; it is pronounced similarly to raise
the Hungarian word for raise is emelés

mély – deep; it is pronounced similarly to may; May
the Hungarian word for may is lehet and for May is május

dór – Dorian, Doric; it is pronounced similarly to door
the Hungarian word for door is ajtó

part – shore; it is pronounced similarly to part
the Hungarian word for part is rész

fog – tooth; it is pronounced similarly to fog
the Hungarian word for fog is köd

sok – much, many; it is pronounced similarly to shock
the Hungarian word for schok is sokk with double k

héj – shell; it is pronounced similarly to hay
the Hungarian word for hay is széna

gép – machine; it is pronounced similarly to gape
the Hungarian word for gape is ásítás

rét – meadow; it is pronounced similarly to rate
the Hungarian word for rate is arány

lék – leak, ice-hole; it is pronounced similarly to lake
the Hungarian word for lake is

nép – folk, a people; it is pronounced similarly to nape
the Hungarian word for nape is tarkó

toll – pen; it is pronounced similarly to toll
the Hungarian word for toll is vám (customs duty); harangszó (sound of bell)

– salt; it is pronounced similarly to show
the Hungarian word for show is műsor; bemutatás; kiállítás

buli – party; it is pronounced similarly to bully
the Hungarian word for bully is szájhős

túl – over there; it is pronounced similarly to tool
the Hungarian word for tool is szerszám

szed – to gather, to collect, to pluck; it is pronounced similarly to sad
the Hungarian word for sad is szomorú

kuki – willy (children’s word for penis); it is pronounced similarly to cookie
the Hungarian word for cookie is keksz

gót – Gothic; it is pronounced similarly to goat
the Hungarian word for goat is kecske

szent – saint, holy; it is pronounced similarly to scent
the Hungarian word for scent is illat

Vocabulary – Same Adjective, Different Meaning Part 2

sima felület – smooth surface
sima ügy >figurative sense: smooth sailing

gyenge ember – weak man
gyenge egészség – poor health

könnyű / nehéz bőrönd – light / heavy suitcase
könnyű / nehéz feladat – easy / difficult task

alap = basis, base, foundation > this word is a noun, but can be used as adjective and then it is written together with the word it modifies.

alapműveltség – basic education
alapelv – fundamental principles

Vocabulary – Same Adjective, Different Meaning Part 1

SAME ADJECTIVE, DIFFERENT MEANING

nagy ember – tall man
nagy ember – great man
nagy ház – big house

kis ember – short man
kisember – common man (>written together)

vékony lány – slender girl
vékony fal – thin wall
vékony hang – high voice

ritka állat – rare animal
ritka erdő – thin forest

borús ég – cloudy sky
borús kilátások – gloomy prospects

érdes felület – rough, uneven surface
érdes hang – raucous voice

lapos tető – flat roof
lapos előadás – dull performance

finom étel – tasty meal
finom anyag – fine material
finom hölgy – fine lady

élénk gyerek – lively child
élénk szín – bright colour

józan ember – sober man
józanész – common sense (>written together)

erős férfi – strong man
erős paprika – hot pepper
erős jellem – firm character

képzett tanár – educated/trained teacher
képzett szó – derivative (>literally: formed word)

komoly tudós – earnest scientist
komoly kár – heavy damage

enyhe időjárás – mild weather
enyhe kifejezés – understatement (>literally: mild expression)

Homonyms

Homonyms are words having the same form but two or more (different) meaning. Such words belong to a specific part of speech with one meaning, to another part of speech with a second meaning. Hungarian examples for it:

(woman) – (to grow)

szán (sledge) – szán (to feel pity)

vár (castle) – vár (to wait)

zár (lock) – zár (to lock)

fél (member) – fél (to fear) – fél (half)

szél (wind) – szél (margin)

nem (gender) – nem (no, not)

szív (heart) – szív (to suck, to draw)

öl (fathom) – öl (to kill)

él (edge) – él (to live)