French-English False Cognates - Faux amis
Liste alphabétique - A
Abandon vs Abandon
Abandon is a noun that means abandonment, desertion, neglect, or giving up. It can also mean abandon, especially with a verb: danser avec abandon - to dance with abandon. Abandonner = to abandon.
Abandon = abandon.
Habileté vs Ability
Habileté refers to a skill, cleverness, a talent, or a skillful move.
Ability is a similar but weaker term, translatable by une aptitude, une capacité, or une compétence.
Abus vs Abuse
Abus can mean abuse, excess, or injustice.
Abuse = abus, while verbal abuse is des injures or insultes.
Abuser vs Abuse
Abuser means to exploit, abuse, take advantage of, deceive, or mislead. S'abuser means to be mistaken or to delude oneself.
Abuse can be translated by abuser, injurier, insulter, or maltraiter.
Accéder vs Accede
Accéder means to reach, attain, get to, access.
Accede has three different meanings. (1) to agree/accept: agréer, accepter. (2) to take on a new position: entrer en possession/fonction. (3) to join: adhérer, se joindre.
Accidenté vs Accidental
Accidenté can be an adjective: hilly, undulating, or damaged - or a noun: casualty, injured person. Accidenter means to injure or damage.
Accidental means accidentel (bad) or fortuit (good).
Achèvement vs Achievement
Achèvement refers to the completion or culmination of something.
Achievement has a more positive sense of attaining something that was sought after: exploit, réussite, accomplissement.
Achever vs Achieve
Achever usually means to finish, end, complete, reach. It can also be more figurative: to finish off, destroy, kill.
Achieve = accomplir, réaliser, atteindre.
Acompte vs Account
Acompte refers to a deposit, down payment, or installment.
Account = un compte.
Action vs Action
Action can mean action as well as act or a share of stock.
Action = action or effet.
Actuellement vs Actually
Actuellement means "at the present time," and should be translated as currently or right now. Je travaille actuellement - I am currently working. A related word is actuel, which means present or current: le problème actuel - the current/present problem.
Actually means "in fact" and should be translated as en fait or à vrai dire. Actually, I don't know him - En fait, je ne le connais pas. Actual means real or true, and depending on the context can be translated as réel, véritable, positif, or concret : The actual value - la valeur réelle.
Adepte vs Adept
Adepte is a noun: follower or enthusiast.
Adept is an adjective: compétent or expert.
Addition vs Addition
Addition can refer to addition, a sum, or a restaurant check or bill.
Addition = une addition, une augmentation, or un surcroît.
Ado vs Ado
Ado is an apocope of adolescent - teen or teenager.
Ado is a somewhat rare word that is equivalent to agitation or bruit (figuratively).
Adresse vs Address
Adresse can refer to a mailing, email, or spoken address or to deftness, skill, or dexterity.
Address = une adresse or un discours.
Affaire vs Affair
Affaire can mean business, matter, deal, transaction, or scandal.
Affair is the equivalent of affaire only in the sense of an event or concern. A love affair is une liaison, une affaire d'amour, or une aventure amoureuse.
Affluence vs Affluence
Une affluence is a crowd of people: Il y avait une affluence attendant à la porte - There were crowds waiting at the door.
Affluence indicates a lot of something (usually wealth): There's an affluence of information here - Il y a une abondance d'information ici. His affluence is obvious - Sa richesse est évidente.
Agenda vs Agenda
Agenda refers to a datebook.
Agenda means l'ordre du jour or le programme.
Agonie vs Agony
Agonie refers to death pangs or mortal agony, while Agony means severe physical or mental pain, but not necessarily just this side of death: angoisse, supplice.
Agréable vs Agreeable
Agréable means pleasant or nice when describing a thing, such as the weather or situation. It's not used to describe people other than in the construction être agréable de sa personne - to be pleasant-looking/personable.
Agreeable does not normally mean agréable, but rather "in agreement," which doesn't have an exact equivalent in French. "I'm agreeable to doing it" - Je le ferai volontiers, "If that's agreeable/acceptable" - S'il n'y a pas d'inconvénient, Si cela vous convient.
Agrément vs Agreement
Agrément refers to charm, attractiveness, or pleasantness.
Agreement = accord or harmonie.
Aimer vs Aim
Aimer means to like or to love.
Aim can be a noun - but, visées - or a verb - braquer, pointer, viser.
Allée vs Alley
Allée is a generic term for any sort of road or path: lane, path, avenue, driveway, etc. It can also refer to an aisle.
Alley = une ruelle.
Allure vs Allure
Allure normally refers to speed or pace: rouler à toute allure - to drive at full speed. It can also refer to an appearance or look. Allures refers to behavior or ways.
Allure indicates charm or attrait.
Altérer vs Alter
Altérer can mean alter, but it nearly always has a negative connotation: distort, falsify, tamper with, spoil, debase.
Alter = changer, modifier, transformer, etc.
Amateur vs Amateur
Amateur is a semi-false cognate. It can mean amateur in the sense of non-professional, but it can also mean a lover of something: un amateur d'art - an art lover.
Amateur refers to someone who dabbles in a trade or activity: an amateur photographer: un amateur de photographie.
Amitié vs Amity
Amitié is the generic French word for friendship, while Amity is used more specifically to mean peaceful relations between nations - concorde or bons rapports.
Ancien vs Ancient
Ancien can mean old in the sense of not young as well as in the sense of former: mon ancien professeur - my old (former) teacher, mon professeur ancien - my old (aged) teacher. Learn more about adjectives.
Ancient means antique or très vieux.
Antique vs Antique
Antique as an adjective means antique or ancient. As a noun, it refers to antiquity or classical art/style.
Antique means the same an adjective, but as a noun it refers to une antiquité, un objet d'art ancien, or un meuble ancien.
Apologie vs Apology
Apologie has three different meanings. The original meaning of defense or plea is related to the judiciary meaning of vindication or justification. The current and most common meaning is praise.
Apology = les excuses.
Appareil vs Apparel
Appareil is an apparatus, device, or appliance.
Apparel is an out-dated term for clothing: habillement.
Are vs Are
Are refers to an area of one hundred square meters.
Are is a conjugation of "to be" (être): we are (nous sommes), you are (vous êtes), they are (ilssont ).
Argument vs Argument
Argument is a semi-false cognate. It means argument in the sense of a mathematical or philosophical argument. Also: argument massue - sledgehammer blow; argument publicitaire - advertising claim; argument de vente - selling point.
Argument is une discussion, une conversation, un débat, or une dispute.
Arriver vs Arrive
Arriver can mean to arrive or to happen, while arriver à + verb means to succeed in doing or to manage to do something.
Arrive is translated by arriver.
Arroser vs Arose
Arroser means to water or spray.
Arose is the past participle of arise: survenir, se présenter, s'élever.
Assistance vs Assistance
Assistance is a semi-false cognate. Its primary meaning is audience.
Assistance indicates help or aid.
Assister vs Assist
Assister à nearly always means to attend something: J'ai assisté à la conférence - I attended (went to) the conference.
Assist means to help or aid someone or something: I assisted the woman into the building - J'ai aidé la dame à entrer l'immeuble.
Assumer vs Assume
Assumer only means to assume in the sense of taking on responsibility or assuming control. It also means to hold a job or fulfill a role.
Assume is a semi-false cognate. In addition to assumer, it can also mean supposer or présumer.
Assurance vs Assurance
Assurance refers to self-confidence or insurance in addition to assurance.
Assurance means assurance or conviction.
Attendre vs Attend
Attendre à means to wait for: Nous avons attendu pendant deux heures - We waited for two hours.
Attend is translated by assister (see above): I attended the conference - J'ai assisté à la conférence.
Audience vs Audience
Audience is a semi-false cognate. In addition to the meaning of the English word, it can signify: Votre audience, s'il vous plaît - Your attention, please. Ce projet a une large audience - This project has a lot of attention. Donner audience à quelqu'un - To meet with / listen to someone. Une audience publique - A public meeting.
Audience is a group of spectators or listeners.
Avertissement vs Advertisement
Avertissement is a warning or caution, from the verb avertir - to warn.
Advertisement is une publicité, une réclame, or un spot publicitaire.
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