Learning French can feel like a smooth ride—until you meet the sneaky faux amis! These tricky words look just like English words but have completely different meanings. This can lead to misunderstandings that range from confusing to downright funny.
In this post, we’ll dive into 30 common French faux amis with examples, so you can avoid the pitfalls and confidently navigate your French conversations.
- Actuellement
- Looks like: Actually
- Meaning: Currently
- Example: Il travaille actuellement en Espagne.
(He is currently working in Spain.)
- Attendre
- Looks like: Attend
- Meaning: Wait
- Example: Je dois attendre mon ami.
(I have to wait for my friend.)
- Assister
- Looks like: Assist
- Meaning: Attend
- Example: Je vais assister à une conférence.
(I am going to attend a conference.)
- Bras
- Looks like: Brass
- Meaning: Arm
- Example: Il s’est cassé le bras en tombant.
(He broke his arm when he fell.)
- Blesser
- Looks like: Bless
- Meaning: To injure
- Example: Elle s’est blessée en jouant au football.
(She injured herself while playing soccer.)
- Déception
- Looks like: Deception
- Meaning: Disappointment
- Example: La déception se lisait sur son visage.
(The disappointment was written on his face.)
- Demander
- Looks like: Demand
- Meaning: Ask
- Example: Je vais lui demander de l’aide.
(I’m going to ask him for help.)
- Enregistrer
- Looks like: To register
- Meaning: To record
- Example: Ils ont enregistré une nouvelle chanson hier.
(They recorded a new song yesterday.)
- Engager
- Looks like: Engage
- Meaning: Hire/Employ
- Example: L’entreprise a engagé de nouveaux employés.
(The company hired new employees.)
- Éventuellement
- Looks like: Eventually
- Meaning: Possibly
- Example: Je vais éventuellement voyager en Italie.
(I might possibly travel to Italy.)
- Formidable
- Looks like: Formidable
- Meaning: Great, fantastic
- Example: Le concert était formidable!
(The concert was fantastic!)
- Grand
- Looks like: Grand
- Meaning: Tall
- Example: Il est très grand pour son âge.
(He is very tall for his age.)
- Habitude
- Looks like: Habit
- Meaning: Custom, routine
- Example: C’est une habitude de dîner à 19 heures.
(It’s a custom to have dinner at 7 PM.)
- Injurier
- Looks like: Injure
- Meaning: To insult
- Example: Il a injurié son collègue pendant la dispute.
(He insulted his colleague during the argument.)
- Journée
- Looks like: Journey
- Meaning: Day
- Example: Comment s’est passée ta journée?
(How did your day go?)
- Location
- Looks like: Location
- Meaning: Rental
- Example: Nous avons une location de voiture pour le week-end.
(We have a rental car for the weekend.)
- Lunatique
- Looks like: Lunatic
- Meaning: Moody
- Example: Elle est souvent lunatique et change d’humeur rapidement.
(She is often moody and changes her mood quickly.)
- Passer un examen
- Looks like: To pass an exam
- Meaning: To take an exam
- Example: Je vais passer un examen demain matin.
(I’m going to take an exam tomorrow morning.)
- Préservatif
- Looks like: Preservative
- Meaning: Condom
- Example: Il est important d’utiliser un préservatif pour se protéger.
(It’s important to use a condom for protection.)
- Prétendre
- Looks like: Pretend
- Meaning: Claim
- Example: Il prétend être innocent.
(He claims to be innocent.)
- Réaliser
- Looks like: Realize
- Meaning: To achieve
- Example: Elle a réalisé son rêve de devenir chanteuse.
(She achieved her dream of becoming a singer.)
- Rester
- Looks like: Rest
- Meaning: Stay
- Example: Nous allons rester chez des amis ce week-end.
(We are going to stay at a friend’s place this weekend.)
- Sensible
- Looks like: Sensible
- Meaning: Sensitive
- Example: Elle est très sensible aux critiques.
(She is very sensitive to criticism.)
- Surnom
- Looks like: Surname
- Meaning: Nickname
- Example: Son surnom est “Loulou”.
(His nickname is “Loulou”.)
- Sympathique
- Looks like: Sympathetic
- Meaning: Nice, friendly
- Example: Il est très sympathique avec tout le monde.
(He is very nice to everyone.)
- Tablette
- Looks like: Tablet (as in medicine)
- Meaning: Bar (of chocolate)
- Example: J’ai acheté une tablette de chocolat.
(I bought a bar of chocolate.)
- Tenir
- Looks like: To tend
- Meaning: To hold
- Example: Il tient une bouteille d’eau dans sa main.
(He is holding a bottle of water in his hand.)
- Voler
- Looks like: To volunteer
- Meaning: To steal / to fly
- Example: Quelqu’un a volé mon portefeuille.
(Someone stole my wallet.)
- Advertir
- Looks like: Advertise
- Meaning: To warn
- Example: Il m’a averti du danger.
(He warned me about the danger.)
- Achèvement
- Looks like: Achievement
- Meaning: Completion
- Example: L’achèvement du projet est prévu pour la fin de l’année.
(The completion of the project is planned for the end of the year.)
31. Ancien
- Looks like: Ancient
- Meaning: Former, old
- Example: C’est mon ancien professeur.
(He’s my former teacher.)
32. Avertissement
- Looks like: Advertisement
- Meaning: Warning
- Example: Il a ignoré l’avertissement de la police.
(He ignored the police’s warning.)
33. Balancer
- Looks like: Balance
- Meaning: To throw, to swing
- Example: Il a balancé ses affaires par la fenêtre.
(He threw his things out the window.)
34. Caractère
- Looks like: Character (fictional)
- Meaning: Personality, temper
- Example: Elle a un caractère très fort.
(She has a very strong personality.)
35. Charge
- Looks like: Charge (cost)
- Meaning: Responsibility, load
- Example: Il a la charge de tout le projet.
(He’s responsible for the entire project.)
36. Compréhensif
- Looks like: Comprehensive
- Meaning: Understanding
- Example: Elle est très compréhensive avec ses élèves.
(She is very understanding with her students.)
37. Confus
- Looks like: Confused
- Meaning: Embarrassed, sorry
- Example: Il est confus de son erreur.
(He is sorry for his mistake.)
38. Consistent
- Looks like: Consistent
- Meaning: Solid, substantial
- Example: Ce gâteau est très consistant.
(This cake is very filling.)
39. Débattre
- Looks like: To debate
- Meaning: To discuss, to negotiate
- Example: Ils vont débattre des détails du contrat.
(They are going to discuss the details of the contract.)
40. Demander
- Looks like: Demand
- Meaning: To ask
- Example: Je vais lui demander de l’aide.
(I will ask him for help.)
41. Envie
- Looks like: Envy
- Meaning: Desire
- Example: J’ai envie d’un café.
(I want a coffee.)
42. Éventuellement
- Looks like: Eventually
- Meaning: Possibly
- Example: Nous partirons éventuellement demain.
(We might possibly leave tomorrow.)
43. Fabrique
- Looks like: Fabric
- Meaning: Factory
- Example: La fabrique produit des voitures.
(The factory produces cars.)
44. Formation
- Looks like: Formation
- Meaning: Training, education
- Example: J’ai suivi une formation pour ce travail.
(I took training for this job.)
45. Grief
- Looks like: Grief
- Meaning: Complaint, grievance
- Example: Ils ont exprimé leurs griefs contre la décision.
(They expressed their complaints about the decision.)
46. Introduire
- Looks like: Introduce
- Meaning: To insert
- Example: Introduisez votre carte dans la machine.
(Insert your card into the machine.)
47. Journée
- Looks like: Journey
- Meaning: Day
- Example: Comment s’est passée ta journée?
(How was your day?)
48. Lecture
- Looks like: Lecture
- Meaning: Reading
- Example: La lecture de ce livre est fascinante.
(Reading this book is fascinating.)
49. Manifestation
- Looks like: Manifestation
- Meaning: Demonstration, protest
- Example: Il y a une manifestation dans la rue.
(There is a protest in the street.)
50. Prétendre
- Looks like: Pretend
- Meaning: To claim
- Example: Il prétend être le propriétaire de la maison.
(He claims to be the owner of the house.)
By familiarizing yourself with these faux amis, you can avoid confusion and speak French more naturally. Always remember, looks can be deceiving—especially in language!