This article unveils over 40 false friends English French to (hopefully) save you the embarrassment of saying the wrong word at the wrong time.
False friends, also called false cognates, are deceitful because you think you know a word when in fact you don’t. A French false friend looks or sounds like an English word but its meaning in French is entirely different. Each false friend is explained and I show you how to use the correct word in a sentence in French.
achever ≠ achieve
meaning: terminate – finish
Il a achevé son travail deux semaines en avance.
He finished his work two weeks in advance.
French translation of achieve: réussir
Il faut beaucoup travailler pour réussir à l’université.
You have to work hard to achieve in college.
apologie ≠ apology
meaning: praise – glorification
Son article est une apologie de la violence.
His article is a glorification of violence.
French translation of apology: excuse
Veuillez accepter mes excuses.
Please accept my apologies.
attendre ≠ attend
meaning: wait
J’attends le bus depuis dix minutes.
I have been waiting for the bus for ten minutes.
French translation of attend: assister – être présent
J’ai assisté à la réunion de mardi dernier.
I attended last Tuesday’s meeting.
audition ≠ audition
meaning: hearing
J’ai l’impression que mon audition a baissé.
It feels like my hearing is getting worse.
French translation of audition: audition (the word audition has two meanings in French: hearing and audition)
Il a passé une audition pour un film à Hollywood.
He had an audition for a movie in Hollywood.
blanquette ≠ blanket
meaning: white meat dish
Je vais cuisiner une blanquette de veau pour ce soir.
I am making veal blanquette for diner.
French translation of blanket: couverture
J’ai demandé des couvertures supplémentaires.
I asked for extra blankets.
caméra ≠ camera
meaning: video camera
Je l’ai filmé en train de skier avec ma caméra.
I video recorded him skiing.
French translation of camera: appareil photo
Je ne me sers plus de mon appareil photo.
I don’t use my camera anymore.
caractère ≠ character
meaning: temper
Il est facile, il a bon caractère.
He’s easy going, he is good-tempered.
French translation of character: personnage
Le personnage principal de la pièce n’est pas crédible.
The main character of the play is not credible.
collège ≠ college
meaning: middle school
Les ados prennent le bus pour aller au collège.
Teens ride the bus to go to middle school.
French translation of college: université
Après le bac, les jeunes étudient à l’université.
After their baccalaureate, young people study at college.
compréhensif ≠ comprehensive
meaning: understanding
Je lui ai expliqué le problème et il a été très compréhensif.
I explained the issue to him and he was very understanding.
French translation of comprehensive: approfondi
J’essaye d’écrire des articles approfondis.
I try to write comprehensive articles.
convention ≠ convention
meaning: agreement – treaty
La convention fiscale entre la France et les États-Unis évite la double imposition.
A fiscal tax treaty between France and the United States prevents double taxation.
French translation of convention: congrès – salon
Je suis allée au congrès de la Nature l’hiver dernier.
I went to the Nature convention last winter.
crâne ≠ crane
meaning: skull
Il s’est ouvert le crâne sur l’angle du mur.
He cracked his skull open on the wall corner.
French translation of crane: une grue
Cette grue est là depuis le début des travaux de rénovation.
This crane has been here since they started renovating.
embrasser ≠ embrace
meaning: kiss – hug
Ils se sont embrassés pour la première fois à Paris.
They had their first kiss in Paris.
French translation of embrace: accepter
Accepte tes défauts.
Embrace your imperfections.
entrée ≠ entrée
meaning: first course
Elle commande toujours une salade en entrée.
She always orders a salad as a first course.
French translation of entrée: plat principal
Il commande toujours un steak-frites en plat principal.
He always orders steak and fries as an entrée.
escroc ≠ escrow
meaning: dishonest person – crook
Les escrocs finissent rarement en prison.
Crooks rarely end up in jail.
French translation of escrow: entiercement
L’entiercement n’est pas courant en France.
Escrows are not common in France.
éventuellement ≠ eventually
meaning: under specific circumstances – maybe – possibly
On pourrait faire une réunion éventuellement.
We could possibly have a meeting.
French translation of eventually: à la fin, finir par, au bout du compte
Je finirai par recevoir ma carte vitale.
I will get my carte vitale eventually.
figure ≠ figure
meaning: face
Ça se voit comme le nez au milieu de la figure.
It sticks out like a sore thumb.
French translation of figure: silhouette
Elle est très fière de sa silhouette.
She is very proud of her figure.
finalement ≠ finally
meaning: in the end – eventually – after all
J’avais lu des mauvaises critiques mais ce film est super finalement.
Even though I’re read bad reviews, this movie is great after all.
French translation of finally: enfin
Après plusieurs mois d’attente, elle a enfin reçu sa carte vitale.
After waiting for several months, she finally received her carte vitale.
génial ≠ genial
meaning: awesome, great. You can use it for a person or something.
J’ai enfin trouvé un appartement et il est génial !
I finally found an appartment and the place is awesome!
French translation of genial: joyeux
Notre hôte était joyeux, il chantait tout le temps.
Our host was genial, he was always singing.
habit ≠ habit
meaning: piece of clothing
Elle porte les mêmes habits qu’hier.
She is wearing the same clothes as yesterday.
French translation of habit: habitude
Il est difficile de changer ses habitudes.
Changing habits is difficult.
injure ≠ injury
meaning: insult
Il est parti en criant des injures.
He left the place yelling insults.
French translation of injury: blessure
Il s’est fait une blessure au genou en skiiant.
He had knee injury while skiing.
introduire ≠ introduce
meaning: insert – enter without permission
Quelqu’un s’est introduit dans ma chambre d’hotel.
Someone broke into my hotel’s room.
French translation of introduce: présenter
Je vous présente ma nouvelle voisine.
Let me introduce my new neighbor.
issue ≠ issue
meaning: exit, solution
Ce problème est sans issue.
There’s no solution to this problem.
French translation of issue: problème
I don’t have an issue with that.
Je n’ai pas de problème avec ça.
journal ≠ journal
meaning: newspaper
Tous les matins, il lit le journal en buvant son café.
Every morning, he reads the newspapers while drinking coffee.
French translation of journal: tenir un journal
Elle a commencé à tenir un journal après le décès de son mari.
She started a journal after her husband’s death.
légume≠ legume
meaning: vegetable
Il est conseillé de manger cinq fruits et légumes par jour.
It is recommended to have five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
French translation of legume: légumineuse
Les légumineuses sont riches en fibre.
Legumes are high in fiber.
librairie ≠ library
meaning: book store
Je vais acheter un livre à la librairie.
I will buy a book at the book store.
French translation of library: bibliothèque
J’aime emprunter des livres à la bibliothèque.
I like to borrow books from the library.
location ≠ location
meaning: rental
Je recherche une maison en location.
I am looking for a house to rent.
French translation of location: emplacement – localisation
L’emplacement d’une maison détermine son prix.
Location determines the price of a house.
magasin ≠ magazine
meaning: store – shop
Je suis allée dans un magasin de chaussures pour acheter des bottes.
I went to a shoe store to buy some boots.
French translation of magazine: magazine
Elle aime lire les magazines de mode.
She enjoys reading fashion magazines.
monnaie ≠ money
meaning: change
Gardez la monnaie.
Keep the change.
French translation of money: argent
Je vais à la banque retirer de l’argent.
I am going to the bank to withdraw some money.
pain ≠ pain
meaning: bread
J’ai acheté du pain à la boulangerie.
I bought some bread at the bakery.
French translation of pain: douleur
J’ai une douleur au ventre.
I feel some pain in the abdomen.
passer un examen ≠ pass an exam
meaning: take an exam
Son fils vient de passer le permis de conduire mais il l’a raté.
Her son just failed the driving exam.
French translation of pass an exam: réussir un examen
Mon cousin a réussi son permis de conduire sans réviser.
My cousin passed his driving test without studying.
préjudice ≠ prejudice
meaning: wrong – damage
Le préjudice écologique est un concept assez récent.
Ecological damage is a fairly recent concept.
French translation of prejudice: préjugé
Les préjugés ont la vie dure.
It is hard to reduce prejudice.
préservatif ≠ preservative
meaning: male contraceptive – condom
Mets un préservatif si tu ne veux pas avoir d’enfants.
Wear a condom if you do not want to have children.
French translation of preservative: conservateur
Est-ce qu’il y a des conservateurs dans ce jambon?
Does this ham contain preservatives?
récipient ≠ recipient
meaning: container – box
J’ai mis la farine dans un récipient en verre.
I put the flour in a glass container.
French translation of recipient: destinataire
Merci de me mettre en destinataire de l’email.
Please put me as a recipient on the email.
rester ≠ rest
meaning: remain – stay
Elle reste à la maison pour garder les enfants.
She stays home to look after the kids.
French translation of rest: se reposer
Il a besoin de se reposer après sa maladie.
He needs to rest after his illness.
résumé (noun) ≠ resume
meaning: condensed version – summary
J’ai lu le résumé du livre comme je n’avais pas le temps de le lire en entier.
I read a summary of the book since I didn’t have enough time to read the whole book.
French translation of resume: CV (curriculum vitae)
Merci d’envoyer une lettre de recommandation avec votre CV.
Please submit a recommendation letter with your resume.
résumer (verb) ≠ resume
meaning: summarize
Je te résume l’histoire.
I give you the short version of the story.
French translation of resume: recommencer – redémarrer
Dépêche toi, le film va recommencer.
Hurry up, the movie is about to resume.
retiré ≠ retired
meaning: extract – remove – take away – take off – withdraw
Merci de retirer vos chaussures avant d’entrer.
Please take off your shoes before entering.
French translation of retired: retraité
Les retraités ont plus de temps pour voyager.
Retired people have more time to travel.
sensible ≠ sensible
meaning: sensitive
Mon fils est très sensible, il pleure facilement.
My son is highly sensitive, he cries easily.
French translation of sensible: raisonnable
Il n’est pas raisonnable de dépenser autant.
It is not sensible to spend so much.
slip ≠ slip
meaning: man’s underwear – briefs
Il se promène en slip à la maison.
He’s strolling around in his briefs at home.
French translation of slip: glissade
Elle est tombée après une glissade.
She fell after a slip.
store ≠ store
meaning: blinds – shutters
J’ai baissé les stores parce qu’il y avait trop de soleil.
I closed the blinds because there was too much sun.
French translation of store: magasin
J’aime bien faire les magasins avec ma sœur.
I like to go shopping with my sister.
vilain ≠ villain
meaning: ugly – naughty
La curiosité est un vilain défaut.
Curiosity is an ugly flaw.
French translation of villain: antagoniste du héros – personnage de méchant
Dark Vador est une icône des personnages de méchants.
Darth Vader is an iconic villain.
Keep improving your French and learn some slang today!
I would add three:
Rester ≠ rest
meaning: stay
Journal ≠ journal
meaning: newspaper
Audition ≠ audition
meaning: hearing
Thank you Anne, these are great additions! I will add them shortly!
I just added your false friends Anne. I was a little hesitant about audition as audition in French can have the same meaning as the English word but it is well worth mentioning it as it can be a source of confusion. Thanks for your help!
Not at all, I enjoy your column immensely. I sent it to my sister and in fact it was she who suggested rester and journal.
Hi — great post, as usual!
Your email announcing this post itself contains a “false friend”!
You said it was your “last article”, which would mean, of course, that you were announcing your retirement from writing newsletters!
I hope not!
-Laurette
Oops, my bad 🙂
Thank you for pointing that out Laurette! You are right, it will not be my last article 🙂
Take care!