[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":1680},["ShallowReactive",2],{"article-\u002Farticles\u002Ffrench-false-friends":3},{"_path":4,"_dir":5,"_draft":6,"_partial":6,"_locale":7,"title":8,"description":9,"date":10,"author":11,"category":12,"tags":13,"body":18,"_type":1674,"_id":1675,"_source":1676,"_file":1677,"_stem":1678,"_extension":1679},"\u002Farticles\u002Ffrench-false-friends","articles",false,"","French False Friends: The Words That Look Like English But Mean Something Else","The French false cognates (faux amis) that trip up English speakers most often, ranked by frequency and by the embarrassment they cause.","2026-06-05T00:00:00+00:00","Michael McGettrick","Methodology",[14,15,16,17],"french vocabulary","false friends","french false cognates","language learning",{"type":19,"children":20,"toc":1637},"root",[21,30,51,56,61,68,73,80,90,95,114,120,130,135,152,158,168,179,184,190,200,205,216,221,227,237,248,253,259,269,281,286,292,302,313,318,324,330,340,357,362,368,378,395,400,406,416,421,432,437,443,453,458,470,476,486,491,503,508,514,524,529,546,552,562,567,579,584,590,600,605,617,622,628,638,643,666,672,682,687,698,704,710,720,725,742,748,758,763,782,788,798,803,808,814,824,842,848,858,875,880,886,896,901,906,912,922,933,938,944,949,1502,1508,1552,1558],{"type":22,"tag":23,"props":24,"children":26},"element","h1",{"id":25},"french-false-friends",[27],{"type":28,"value":29},"text","French False Friends",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":32,"children":33},"p",{},[34,36,42,44,49],{"type":28,"value":35},"False friends, or ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":38,"children":39},"strong",{},[40],{"type":28,"value":41},"faux amis",{"type":28,"value":43},", are words that look identical or near-identical to English words but mean something different. French has the most extensive false-friend territory of any major Romance language for English speakers, for a structural reason: ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":45,"children":46},{},[47],{"type":28,"value":48},"modern English has absorbed roughly 30% of its vocabulary directly from French",{"type":28,"value":50}," through the Norman Conquest and centuries of subsequent borrowing. The result is huge overlap in word forms - and within that overlap, a meaningful number of words have drifted in meaning between the two languages.",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":52,"children":53},{},[54],{"type":28,"value":55},"This article catalogues the most common French-English false friends, ranked by how often they cause real comprehension problems. The first batch are the ones that produce sentence-meaning failures; the second batch are the embarrassing comedy ones; the third batch are the subtle drift cases that intermediate learners still get wrong.",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":57,"children":58},{},[59],{"type":28,"value":60},"The author spent his year as an English language assistant in Le Havre. Almost every false friend below caused either himself or one of his students a memorable incident.",{"type":22,"tag":62,"props":63,"children":65},"h2",{"id":64},"the-high-frequency-embarrassing-ones",[66],{"type":28,"value":67},"The high-frequency embarrassing ones",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":69,"children":70},{},[71],{"type":28,"value":72},"These false friends produce the most memorable failures. Memorise them as a unit.",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":75,"children":77},"h3",{"id":76},"sensible-vs-sensible",[78],{"type":28,"value":79},"Sensible vs sensible",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":81,"children":82},{},[83,88],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":84,"children":85},{},[86],{"type":28,"value":87},"Sensible",{"type":28,"value":89}," in French means \"sensitive\" (emotionally responsive), not \"sensible\" (level-headed, practical).",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":91,"children":92},{},[93],{"type":28,"value":94},"\"Il est tres sensible\" means \"he is very sensitive.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":96,"children":97},{},[98,100,105,107,112],{"type":28,"value":99},"If you want to say someone is sensible in the English sense: ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":101,"children":102},{},[103],{"type":28,"value":104},"raisonnable",{"type":28,"value":106}," or ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":108,"children":109},{},[110],{"type":28,"value":111},"sense \u002F sensee",{"type":28,"value":113},".",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":115,"children":117},{"id":116},"deception-vs-deception",[118],{"type":28,"value":119},"Deception vs deception",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":121,"children":122},{},[123,128],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":124,"children":125},{},[126],{"type":28,"value":127},"Deception",{"type":28,"value":129}," in French means \"disappointment\" - NOT \"deception\" in the English sense of deceit.",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":131,"children":132},{},[133],{"type":28,"value":134},"\"J'ai eu une grande deception\" means \"I had a big disappointment.\" Not \"I deceived someone.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":136,"children":137},{},[138,140,145,146,151],{"type":28,"value":139},"If you want to say \"deception\" in the English sense, the French word is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":141,"children":142},{},[143],{"type":28,"value":144},"tromperie",{"type":28,"value":106},{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":147,"children":148},{},[149],{"type":28,"value":150},"duperie",{"type":28,"value":113},{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":153,"children":155},{"id":154},"librairie-vs-library",[156],{"type":28,"value":157},"Librairie vs library",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":159,"children":160},{},[161,166],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":162,"children":163},{},[164],{"type":28,"value":165},"Librairie",{"type":28,"value":167}," means \"bookshop\" - NOT \"library.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":169,"children":170},{},[171,173,178],{"type":28,"value":172},"If you want to say \"library,\" the French word is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":174,"children":175},{},[176],{"type":28,"value":177},"bibliotheque",{"type":28,"value":113},{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":180,"children":181},{},[182],{"type":28,"value":183},"This is one of the most common French-English false friends because the temptation to use librairie is constant. Both involve books; the structural distinction is that French has kept librairie for \"place that sells books\" and bibliotheque for \"place that lends books.\"",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":185,"children":187},{"id":186},"blesser-vs-to-bless",[188],{"type":28,"value":189},"Blesser vs to bless",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":191,"children":192},{},[193,198],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":194,"children":195},{},[196],{"type":28,"value":197},"Blesser",{"type":28,"value":199}," means \"to wound\" or \"to hurt\" - NOT \"to bless.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":201,"children":202},{},[203],{"type":28,"value":204},"\"Il s'est blesse\" means \"he hurt himself\" or \"he was wounded.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":206,"children":207},{},[208,210,215],{"type":28,"value":209},"If you want to say \"to bless,\" the French verb is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":211,"children":212},{},[213],{"type":28,"value":214},"benir",{"type":28,"value":113},{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":217,"children":218},{},[219],{"type":28,"value":220},"This is one of the false friends that catches English speakers in unexpected contexts. A French person saying \"vous m'avez blesse\" is telling you they were hurt, not that they were blessed.",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":222,"children":224},{"id":223},"chair-vs-chair",[225],{"type":28,"value":226},"Chair vs chair",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":228,"children":229},{},[230,235],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":231,"children":232},{},[233],{"type":28,"value":234},"Chair",{"type":28,"value":236}," in French means \"flesh\" - NOT \"chair.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":238,"children":239},{},[240,242,247],{"type":28,"value":241},"If you want to say \"chair\" (the piece of furniture), the French word is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":243,"children":244},{},[245],{"type":28,"value":246},"chaise",{"type":28,"value":113},{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":249,"children":250},{},[251],{"type":28,"value":252},"\"La chair\" in a butcher's context means \"the meat.\" In a religious or philosophical context \"la chair\" means \"the flesh.\" Neither is what English speakers expect.",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":254,"children":256},{"id":255},"coin-vs-coin",[257],{"type":28,"value":258},"Coin vs coin",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":260,"children":261},{},[262,267],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":263,"children":264},{},[265],{"type":28,"value":266},"Coin",{"type":28,"value":268}," in French means \"corner\" - NOT \"coin.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":270,"children":271},{},[272,274,279],{"type":28,"value":273},"If you want to say \"coin,\" the French word is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":275,"children":276},{},[277],{"type":28,"value":278},"piece",{"type":28,"value":280}," (de monnaie).",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":282,"children":283},{},[284],{"type":28,"value":285},"\"Le coin de la rue\" means \"the corner of the street.\"",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":287,"children":289},{"id":288},"habit-vs-habit",[290],{"type":28,"value":291},"Habit vs habit",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":293,"children":294},{},[295,300],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":296,"children":297},{},[298],{"type":28,"value":299},"Habit",{"type":28,"value":301}," in French means \"outfit\" or \"clothing\" - NOT \"habit\" (a repeated behaviour).",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":303,"children":304},{},[305,307,312],{"type":28,"value":306},"If you want to say \"habit\" in the English sense, the French word is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":308,"children":309},{},[310],{"type":28,"value":311},"habitude",{"type":28,"value":113},{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":314,"children":315},{},[316],{"type":28,"value":317},"\"Un habit\" is an outfit, especially a formal or ceremonial one (a priest's habit, a Victorian costume).",{"type":22,"tag":62,"props":319,"children":321},{"id":320},"the-medium-frequency-comedy-ones",[322],{"type":28,"value":323},"The medium-frequency comedy ones",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":325,"children":327},{"id":326},"eventuellement-vs-eventually",[328],{"type":28,"value":329},"Eventuellement vs eventually",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":331,"children":332},{},[333,338],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":334,"children":335},{},[336],{"type":28,"value":337},"Eventuellement",{"type":28,"value":339}," in French means \"possibly\" - NOT \"eventually.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":341,"children":342},{},[343,345,350,351,356],{"type":28,"value":344},"If you want to say \"eventually\" in the English sense of \"at some future time,\" the French phrase is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":346,"children":347},{},[348],{"type":28,"value":349},"finalement",{"type":28,"value":106},{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":352,"children":353},{},[354],{"type":28,"value":355},"par la suite",{"type":28,"value":113},{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":358,"children":359},{},[360],{"type":28,"value":361},"This is the French equivalent of the Spanish \"eventualmente\" trap.",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":363,"children":365},{"id":364},"actuellement-vs-actually",[366],{"type":28,"value":367},"Actuellement vs actually",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":369,"children":370},{},[371,376],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":372,"children":373},{},[374],{"type":28,"value":375},"Actuellement",{"type":28,"value":377}," in French means \"currently\" - NOT \"actually.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":379,"children":380},{},[381,383,388,389,394],{"type":28,"value":382},"If you want to say \"actually\" in the English sense, the French phrase is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":384,"children":385},{},[386],{"type":28,"value":387},"en fait",{"type":28,"value":106},{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":390,"children":391},{},[392],{"type":28,"value":393},"en realite",{"type":28,"value":113},{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":396,"children":397},{},[398],{"type":28,"value":399},"\"Actuellement je travaille a Paris\" means \"I currently work in Paris.\" Not \"I actually work in Paris.\"",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":401,"children":403},{"id":402},"demander-vs-to-demand",[404],{"type":28,"value":405},"Demander vs to demand",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":407,"children":408},{},[409,414],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":410,"children":411},{},[412],{"type":28,"value":413},"Demander",{"type":28,"value":415}," means \"to ask\" - NOT \"to demand.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":417,"children":418},{},[419],{"type":28,"value":420},"\"Le client demande la note\" means \"the customer is asking for the bill.\" Not \"the customer is demanding the bill.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":422,"children":423},{},[424,426,431],{"type":28,"value":425},"If you want to say \"to demand\" in the English sense (with force, authority), the French verb is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":427,"children":428},{},[429],{"type":28,"value":430},"exiger",{"type":28,"value":113},{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":433,"children":434},{},[435],{"type":28,"value":436},"This false friend is the source of substantial pragmatic friction in cross-cultural business interactions. English speakers reading French texts about clients \"demandant\" something often misread the assertion as more aggressive than it is.",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":438,"children":440},{"id":439},"assister-vs-to-assist",[441],{"type":28,"value":442},"Assister vs to assist",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":444,"children":445},{},[446,451],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":447,"children":448},{},[449],{"type":28,"value":450},"Assister",{"type":28,"value":452}," in French means \"to attend\" - NOT \"to assist.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":454,"children":455},{},[456],{"type":28,"value":457},"\"Assister a la reunion\" means \"to attend the meeting.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":459,"children":460},{},[461,463,468],{"type":28,"value":462},"If you want to say \"to assist\" in the English sense, the French verb is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":464,"children":465},{},[466],{"type":28,"value":467},"aider",{"type":28,"value":469}," (to help).",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":471,"children":473},{"id":472},"attendre-vs-to-attend",[474],{"type":28,"value":475},"Attendre vs to attend",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":477,"children":478},{},[479,484],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":480,"children":481},{},[482],{"type":28,"value":483},"Attendre",{"type":28,"value":485}," means \"to wait\" - NOT \"to attend.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":487,"children":488},{},[489],{"type":28,"value":490},"\"J'attends le bus\" means \"I am waiting for the bus.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":492,"children":493},{},[494,496,501],{"type":28,"value":495},"If you want to say \"to attend\" in the English sense, the French verb is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":497,"children":498},{},[499],{"type":28,"value":500},"assister",{"type":28,"value":502}," (which is itself a false friend, see above).",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":504,"children":505},{},[506],{"type":28,"value":507},"The pair attendre \u002F assister is doubly confusing because both look like English \"to attend\" but each means something different.",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":509,"children":511},{"id":510},"achever-vs-to-achieve",[512],{"type":28,"value":513},"Achever vs to achieve",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":515,"children":516},{},[517,522],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":518,"children":519},{},[520],{"type":28,"value":521},"Achever",{"type":28,"value":523}," means \"to complete\" or \"to finish\" - NOT \"to achieve\" in the broader English sense.",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":525,"children":526},{},[527],{"type":28,"value":528},"\"Achever un projet\" means \"to complete a project.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":530,"children":531},{},[532,534,539,540,545],{"type":28,"value":533},"If you want to say \"to achieve\" in the English sense of accomplishing a goal, the French verb is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":535,"children":536},{},[537],{"type":28,"value":538},"realiser",{"type":28,"value":106},{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":541,"children":542},{},[543],{"type":28,"value":544},"accomplir",{"type":28,"value":113},{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":547,"children":549},{"id":548},"realiser-vs-to-realise",[550],{"type":28,"value":551},"Realiser vs to realise",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":553,"children":554},{},[555,560],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":556,"children":557},{},[558],{"type":28,"value":559},"Realiser",{"type":28,"value":561}," in French primarily means \"to carry out\" or \"to accomplish\" - NOT \"to realise\" (to become aware of).",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":563,"children":564},{},[565],{"type":28,"value":566},"\"Realiser un projet\" means \"to carry out a project.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":568,"children":569},{},[570,572,577],{"type":28,"value":571},"If you want to say \"to realise\" in the English sense, the French verb is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":573,"children":574},{},[575],{"type":28,"value":576},"se rendre compte de",{"type":28,"value":578}," (literally \"to give oneself account of\").",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":580,"children":581},{},[582],{"type":28,"value":583},"\"Je me rends compte que tu as raison\" means \"I realise you are right.\"",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":585,"children":587},{"id":586},"pretendre-vs-to-pretend",[588],{"type":28,"value":589},"Pretendre vs to pretend",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":591,"children":592},{},[593,598],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":594,"children":595},{},[596],{"type":28,"value":597},"Pretendre",{"type":28,"value":599}," in French means \"to claim\" - NOT \"to pretend\" (to feign).",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":601,"children":602},{},[603],{"type":28,"value":604},"\"Je pretends avoir raison\" means \"I claim to be right.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":606,"children":607},{},[608,610,615],{"type":28,"value":609},"If you want to say \"to pretend\" in the English sense, the French verb is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":611,"children":612},{},[613],{"type":28,"value":614},"faire semblant",{"type":28,"value":616}," (literally \"to make a semblance\").",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":618,"children":619},{},[620],{"type":28,"value":621},"\"Il fait semblant de dormir\" means \"he is pretending to sleep.\"",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":623,"children":625},{"id":624},"location-vs-location",[626],{"type":28,"value":627},"Location vs location",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":629,"children":630},{},[631,636],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":632,"children":633},{},[634],{"type":28,"value":635},"Location",{"type":28,"value":637}," in French means \"rental\" - NOT \"location.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":639,"children":640},{},[641],{"type":28,"value":642},"\"Une location de voiture\" means \"a car rental.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":644,"children":645},{},[646,648,653,654,659,660,665],{"type":28,"value":647},"If you want to say \"location\" in the English sense, the French word is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":649,"children":650},{},[651],{"type":28,"value":652},"emplacement",{"type":28,"value":106},{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":655,"children":656},{},[657],{"type":28,"value":658},"endroit",{"type":28,"value":106},{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":661,"children":662},{},[663],{"type":28,"value":664},"lieu",{"type":28,"value":113},{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":667,"children":669},{"id":668},"patron-vs-patron",[670],{"type":28,"value":671},"Patron vs patron",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":673,"children":674},{},[675,680],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":676,"children":677},{},[678],{"type":28,"value":679},"Patron",{"type":28,"value":681}," in French means \"boss\" or \"employer\" - NOT \"patron\" (a customer).",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":683,"children":684},{},[685],{"type":28,"value":686},"\"Le patron du restaurant\" means \"the boss of the restaurant.\" Not \"the patron of the restaurant.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":688,"children":689},{},[690,692,697],{"type":28,"value":691},"If you want to say \"patron\" (customer) in the English sense, the French word is ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":693,"children":694},{},[695],{"type":28,"value":696},"client",{"type":28,"value":113},{"type":22,"tag":62,"props":699,"children":701},{"id":700},"the-subtle-drift-cases",[702],{"type":28,"value":703},"The subtle drift cases",{"type":22,"tag":74,"props":705,"children":707},{"id":706},"sympathique-vs-sympathetic",[708],{"type":28,"value":709},"Sympathique vs sympathetic",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":711,"children":712},{},[713,718],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":714,"children":715},{},[716],{"type":28,"value":717},"Sympathique",{"type":28,"value":719}," in French means \"likeable\" or \"nice\" - 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