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15 Translation Mistakes That Ruin an English Pitch

Fifteen precise, word-for-word translation mistakes that reveal a pitch translated rather than thought in English, with a natural fix for each mistake.

, 2 min read, Sales English

Also available in Français, Español

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Photo Rob Hobson, Unsplash

Key takeaways

  • Most of these mistakes come from false friends or literal translations of expressions that don't work the same way in English.
  • For a deeper look at the three broader categories behind translation mistakes, see our full guide on the topic.
  • Keeping a personal list of the two or three mistakes you repeat most is more effective than trying to memorize an entire generic list.

Here are fifteen precise translation mistakes that immediately reveal a pitch translated from another language rather than built directly in English.

  1. "Actually" used to mean "currently" → say "currently" or "right now."
  2. "Eventually" used to mean "possibly" → say "possibly" or "we might."
  3. "Assist" used to mean "attend" → say "attend."
  4. "Demand" used to mean a neutral "ask" → say "ask."
  5. "Sensible" used to mean emotionally sensitive → say "sensitive."
  6. "To closer" as a verb → say "to close" (a deal / a sale).
  7. "I come back to you" for a promised reply → say "I'll get back to you."
  8. "Figure of business" for total sales → say "revenue" or "turnover."
  9. "I allow myself to contact you" (a literal politeness formula) → say simply "Quick question about..."
  10. "It's not evident" for "it's not obvious" → say "it's not straightforward" or "it's tricky."
  11. "To realize" used to mean "carry out" a project → say "to carry out" or "to complete" ("realize" in English means to become aware of something).
  12. "Formation" used to mean "training" → say "training"; "formation" in English refers to a structure or a group, not learning.
  13. "To precise" used as a verb meaning "clarify" → say "to clarify" or "to specify."
  14. "Prejudice" used to mean "damage" → say "damage" or "harm"; "prejudice" in English means a biased opinion, not harm.
  15. "Actual" used to mean "real" → "actual" does mean "real" in English, but be careful not to also use "actually" to mean "currently" in the same sentence, which is the far more common confusion.

Why these mistakes are so common

Each of these comes from a word that looks close enough to a non-native speaker's own language to seem correct without being right: these are false friends, the most common trap for anyone thinking in their native language and then translating, rather than building the sentence directly in English.

How to fix the habit long term

The real fix isn't memorizing this list by heart, but identifying the two or three mistakes you personally make most often, and correcting them one at a time. For the broader mechanisms behind these mistakes (sentence structure, translated politeness formulas), see our full guide on translation mistakes that kill an English pitch.

Frequently asked questions

Are these mistakes really common among non-native speakers?
Yes, they're among the most documented and frequent, precisely because the words look close enough to a speaker's native language to seem correct without being right.
Should you memorize the whole list at once?
No. Read it once, then note the two or three mistakes you recognize making yourself, and focus on those.
Is there a more detailed guide on this topic?
Yes, our guide on translation mistakes that kill an English pitch explores the three main categories in depth, with more context for each.

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