Don’t know a word? Easy, you have a similar word in your native language! However, can you really trust words? NO you can’t, as there are many ‘false friends’.
Indeed, often students infer the meaning of a word based on a similar word in their own language which leads to an incorrect use of the word. Pairs of words in two languages can look or sound the same but they have a completely different meaning.
There are so many ‘faux-amis’ between English and French! I selected 28 of them and created the following list to help you.
French word (meaning in English) ≠ false friend in English (meaning in English) : translation in French.
1) actuel (current) ≠ actual (real, true) : réel, vrai
2) actuellement (currently) ≠ actually (in fact, in reality) : en fait, en réalité
3) un agenda (a diary) ≠ an agenda (things to do for the day/ underlying goal) : programme du jour/ intention cachée
4) appliquer (to apply/to use something) ≠ to apply to (send a request, submit job) : postuler à…, envoyer sa candidature
5) attendre (to wait) ≠ to attend (to be present at) : participer à…
6) (la) chance (luck) ≠ chance (hasard/ opportunity) : un hasard/ une occasion
7) un car = coach (private bus)/ car (because) ≠ a car (automobile) : une voiture
8) chair (flesh/meat) ≠ chair (seat) : chaise
9) un collège (a high school/middle school) ≠ a college (university) : une université
10) crier (to shout) ≠ to cry (weep) : pleurer
11) commander (to place an order) ≠ to command (to give a command) : donner un ordre
12) concerné (involved/affected) ≠ concerned (worried) : inquiet
13) demander (to ask) ≠ to demand (insist on, require) : exiger
14) excité (aroused) ≠ excited (enthusiastic) : impatient, avoir hate
15) engagé (hired/ begin/ commit to something) ≠ engaged (person to be married) : fiancé
16) éventuellement (possibly, maybe) ≠ eventually (after some time) : finalement, au final
17) une journée (a day) ≠ a journey (an extended travel) : un voyage
18) une libraire (a bookstore) ≠ a library (a public book-lending place) : une bibliothèque
19) une location (a rental) ≠ a location (position) : un emplacement
20) un médecin (a doctor) ≠ a medicine (medication) : un medicament
21) passer un examen (to take/sit an exam) ≠ to pass an exam (be successful in an exam) : réussir un examen
22) proposer (to suggest) ≠ to propose (to ask to marry) : demander en marriage
23) rester (to stay) ≠ to rest (to relax) : se reposer
24) résumer (to sum up) ≠ to resume (to continue following interruption) : reprendre, recommencer
25) une route (a road) ≠ a route (itinary) : un itinéraire
26) sensible (sensitive) ≠ sensible (reasonable) : raisonnable
27) supporter (to put with/ to handle) ≠ to support (to help) : soutenir, aider
28) visiter (to visit a place) ≠ to visit someone (to go to see) : rendre visite à quelqu’un
You are one step closer to your goal. Keep working on your french!
