Learning English French cognates could be a great language learning strategy to quickly upscale your vocabulary. However, you should know that not all of them are true. Les faux amis, literally translated as false friends or fake friends, can be misleading, even deceptive, and you have to watch out for them. Don't take granted words like blesser, bras, sale, or préservatif!
1. What are false cognates or les faux-amis?
Les faux-amis are words that look alike in French and English but convey different meanings. They can be deceptive and if you want to avoid embarrassing situations, it's then important for you to identify them.
By learning them, you will not fall into the mistake of taking a preservative as un préservatif (a condom), like in Emily in Paris TV series (season 1). You will not also be talking about sales when French people are referring to something dirty (sale).
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2. Common English French false cognates list
Here is a list of 32 common English French fake friends. In the table below, you have the English word with its translation in French (first column) and the French fake cognate with its meaning in English (2nd column).
Once you will finish learning them, scroll down to take our test and check your knowledge.
| English word | French word |
1 | Actually = en fait | Actuellement = now, at present |
2 | An affair = une liaison, une aventure | Une affaire = a business, a deal, a matter |
3 | To assist = aider | Assister = to attend |
4 | To attend = assister à | Attendre = to wait |
5 | To bless = bénir | Blesser = to injure, to hurt |
6 | A bra = un soutien-gorge | Un bras = an arm |
7 | A chair = une chaise | La chair = flesh |
8 | A character = un personnage | Le caractère = personality, nature |
9 | A class = un cours | Une classe = a classroom |
10 | A coin = une pièce | Un coin = a corner |
11 | Comprehensive = complet, exhaustif | Compréhensif (ve) = understanding |
12 | To demand = exiger | Demander = to ask |
13 | To be engaged = être fiancé (e) | Être engagé (e) = To be committed |
14 | An evidence = une preuve | Une évidence = an obviouness |
15 | A figure = un chiffre | La figure : face |
16 | A grave = une tombe | Grave = serious |
17 | A habit = une habitude | Un habit = a cloth |
18 | To injure = blesser | Injurier = to insult |
19 | A journey = un voyage | Une journée = a day, day time |
20 | A lecture = une conférence | La lecture = reading |
21 | Library = la bibliothèque | La librairie = book store/shop |
22 | Location = un lieu, un endroit, une position géographique | La location = the rent, rental |
23 | Main = principal | La main = hand |
24 | A medicine = un médicament | La médecine = medical science |
25 | Money = l'argent | La monnaie = change, currency |
26 | Pain = la douleur | Le pain = bread |
27 | A party = une fête, une soirée | Une partie = a part, a section |
28 | To pass an exam: réussir un examen | Passer un examen = to take an exam |
29 | To pretend = faire semblant | Prétendre = to claim, to say |
30 | A preservative = un conservateur | Un préservatif = a condom |
31 | To rest = se reposer | Rester = to stay, to remain |
32 | Sale = les soldes, une vente | Sale = dirty |
3. Quiz: How much do you know about English and French fake friends?
Click on START to take the test and discover how much you know about French English false fiends. Your answers will be corrected after each exercise. Happy learning.