French False Friends: 25 Words That Don't Mean What You Think
These French words look like English words but mean something completely different. Learn them now to avoid embarrassing mistakes.
French False Friends: Words That Trip Up English Speakers
False friends (faux amis) are words that look similar in French and English but have different meanings. Here are 25 you need to know.
The Most Common False Friends
1. Actuellement
Looks like: Actually Means: Currently, at the moment Correct French for "actually": En fait
2. Attendre
Looks like: Attend Means: To wait Correct French for "attend": Assister à
3. Blesser
Looks like: Bless Means: To injure, to wound Correct French for "bless": Bénir
4. Bras
Looks like: Bra Means: Arm Correct French for "bra": Soutien-gorge
5. Chair
Looks like: Chair Means: Flesh, meat Correct French for "chair": Chaise
6. Coin
Looks like: Coin Means: Corner Correct French for "coin": Pièce de monnaie
7. Conducteur
Looks like: Conductor Means: Driver Correct French for "conductor" (music): Chef d'orchestre
8. Entrée
Looks like: Entree (main course) Means: Starter, appetiser Note: In America, "entrée" means main course; in French, it means the dish you enter the meal with
9. Figure
Looks like: Figure (body shape) Means: Face Correct French for "figure/body shape": Silhouette
10. Formidable
Looks like: Formidable (daunting) Means: Wonderful, tremendous (positive) Correct French for "daunting": Redoutable
11. Journée
Looks like: Journey Means: Day (the full span of a day) Correct French for "journey": Voyage
12. Librairie
Looks like: Library Means: Bookshop Correct French for "library": Bibliothèque
13. Location
Looks like: Location Means: Rental (as in renting a car or apartment) Correct French for "location": Endroit, lieu
14. Magazine
Looks like: Magazine (publication) Means: Warehouse, store Correct French for "magazine": Revue
15. Monnaie
Looks like: Money Means: Change (coins), currency Correct French for "money": Argent
16. Patron
Looks like: Patron (supporter) Means: Boss, employer Correct French for "patron/supporter": Mécène
17. Pétrole
Looks like: Petrol Means: Oil, petroleum (crude oil) Correct French for "petrol/gasoline": Essence
18. Phrase
Looks like: Phrase Means: Sentence Correct French for "phrase": Expression
19. Prune
Looks like: Prune (dried plum) Means: Plum (fresh) Correct French for "prune": Pruneau
20. Raisin
Looks like: Raisin (dried grape) Means: Grape (fresh) Correct French for "raisin": Raisin sec
21. Résumer
Looks like: Resume Means: To summarise Correct French for "resume" (CV): CV, curriculum vitae
22. Sensible
Looks like: Sensible Means: Sensitive Correct French for "sensible": Raisonnable
23. Sympathique
Looks like: Sympathetic Means: Nice, likeable Correct French for "sympathetic": Compatissant
24. Travail
Looks like: Travel Means: Work Correct French for "travel": Voyage
25. Vicieux
Looks like: Vicious Means: Having bad habits, perverted Correct French for "vicious": Méchant, brutal
Why False Friends Exist
Most false friends arose from the same Latin or Old French root that evolved differently in English and French. The meanings drifted apart over centuries while the spellings stayed similar. Understanding this helps: the words aren't random — they're cousins who grew up in different countries.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are false friends in French?
False friends (faux amis) are words that look similar in French and English but have different meanings. For example, 'actuellement' means 'currently' not 'actually', and 'bras' means 'arm' not 'bra'.
How many French-English false friends are there?
There are hundreds of false friends between French and English. The most problematic ones are high-frequency words you'll encounter daily in conversation.
How do I avoid false friend mistakes?
The best approach is active awareness. Learn the most common false friends explicitly, and when you encounter a word that 'looks English', double-check its French meaning before using it.
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