英语中，总有那么一些单词，就算你考得过专四专八，骗得过了老外，翻得了英语词典，做得了英语同传，也不一定会使用对它们——因为，就连native speaker也常常用不对！今天，小编就和小伙伴们一起追忆“那些年，我们一起用错了的英语单词”，看看现在的你是不是还在“误用”的道路上越走越远……别嫌这些英语单词太简单，躺枪的可是大有人在呢！

1. i.e.

你的理解：比如

What you think it means: For example.

正解：换句话说，即

What it really means: In other words.

除了单词，还有很多缩略词也经常被用混，比如etc.，e.g.，i.e.就长得很像有木有？这时候知道它们的全名会比较容易记忆，etc.是Et cetera的简写，意为“等等”；e.g. 则是example的简写，意为“例如”；而i.e.则指in other words，意为“换句话说，即”。比如（e.g.），你可以说“我和简两个月前，也就是（i.e.）四月份搬进了我们的新家。”

This is one among a number of shortened words that confuse people. Here’s a quick guide on how to use them. Et cetera is etc., example is ex. or e.g., and in other words is i.e. When you use i.e. you’re essentially putting it there to let people know that you’re going to be stating the same information in different words. Here’s how it really works. It’s June and I moved into my new apartment in April, i.e., two months ago.

2.Can

你的理解：被容许做的事

What you think it means: What is permissible.

正解：可能发生的事

What it really means: What is possible.

如果说你“能”（can）做某事，说明你有能力完成它，但不一定会去做。比如，你能把脑袋磕在桌子上，但你真的会这么做吗？（回答yes的小伙伴们，你们该吃药了……）而小伙伴们却常把“Can”当作 “May”来误用。想让别人帮忙开门？脑海里是不是第一时间蹦出了 “Can you open the door”？而在native speaker看来，你是在问他们“有木有能力打开这扇门”。这里，用will就能正确表达你的含义啦～如果想要某物，则可以用“May I have sth.”来表达。

This is one you have to nip in the bud in childhood because it’s much harder to correct in adulthood. When you can do something, you have capacity within you to perform that action regardless of whether or not you actually do it. I can bang my head into my desk but I absolutely will not do it. When people use can incorrectly it is because they mean to use the word “may.” When you ask someone if they can open the door, you did not ask them to open the door. You asked them if they were capable of opening the door. If you wish for them to perform the task, you should ask if they will open the door. When you ask if you can have something, you’re not asking someone to give it to you. You’re asking if you have the capacity to own it. If you need something, ask if you may have it.

3.Fortuitous

你的理解：幸运的

What you think it means: Lucky.

正解：偶然的

What it really means: By chance.

是上天眷顾还是纯属巧合？买彩票中了大奖可以说很lucky，但篮球没投中滚到路上被车撞了这种偶然就要用fortuitous啦。Fortuitous是中性词，既能表达“天上掉馅饼”的好运，也能表达“喝凉水都塞牙”的厄运。小伙伴们，你们明白了吗？

There is a difference between luck and chance. Unfortunately, people use the two interchangeably, so much so that it’s difficult to explain the differences anymore. Lucky is an event that happens by chance that can be described as fortunate. Winning the lottery is lucky. Fortuitous means simply by chance. For instance if you drop your basketball and it bounces into the road and gets hit by a car, that’s a fortuitous instance. It’s neutral, so it can be good or bad things that happen by chance.

4. Disinterested

你的理解：没意思的，令人厌烦的

What you think it means: Bored.

正解：毫不关心的，中立的

What it really means: Neutral.

“Interested”（感兴趣的），这么简单的单词谁不认识。加了个“dis”不就是“无趣”咯？小伙伴们，虽然前缀dis

表示否定，如：disagree, discover等，但别忘了还有一个词叫做“uninterested”呀。单词“disinterested”

表示“无个人利害关系的、毫不关心的、不偏袒的”。

A good way to remember this one is that there is a word that

means bored and it’s uninterested. If you’re uninterested, you’re bored.

Being disinterested is the long-form equivalent of stating that you

don’t care about something.

5. Ultimate

你的理解：唯一的一个，最好的一个

What you think it means: The one, the only. The best.

正解：最后一个

What it really means: The last item of a list.

错的咱就不说了，用对的小伙伴们也还是有滴～在超市，你听到有人拿着购物清单说，“我们需要买鸡蛋、牛奶、果汁，最后（ultimately）还有黄油”，这才是正确的用法，而且不论什么语境，ultimate都是指“最后一个”。你学会了么？

Some people do actually use this one properly. You may see someone list off a bunch of things and hear them say, “Okay, at the store we need eggs, milk, juice, and ultimately, butter.” That is actually the proper use of ultimate. There is no other context or added context. It simply means the last one.