www.learn-english-today.com

 •   business english   •   vocabulary    •   wordgames    •   idioms       fun    •   news    •    resources        books    •    contact   •   home  •

FAUX AMIS / FALSE FRIENDS
(French/English)


 

 


Faux amis
or "false friends" are words that appear to be the same in French and in English,
 but have a different meaning.
(Les faux amis sont des mots qui se ressemblent en français et en anglais mais qui n'ont pas le même sens.)
 

French

English

Example

 

Incorrect English
(Faux Ami)

Correct English
Translation

 
 Achever  Achieve
            
(=réaliser, accomplir)
  Complete/
  finish/reach the end of
 The renovation was finished at the end of 2005.
 We have reached the end of our programme.
 Actuellement  Actually
            
(=en fait, à vrai dire)
  At the moment, currently  At the moment I am revising my English.
 Affluence  Affluence
                                 (=richesse)
 Crowds  There were crowds of people in the streets.
 Agenda  Agenda
                  
(=ordre du jour)
  Diary  I note all my appointments in my diary.
 Ancien  Ancient
 
(=antique, des temps anciens)
  Former  Our former chairman was more dynamic.
 Assister à  Assist                  (=aider)   Attend  All the personnel must attend the meeting.
 Avertissement  Advertisement   (=publicité)   Warning  The message was sent as a warning.
 Bail  Bail                   (=caution)   Lease  We can move in as soon as we sign the lease.
 Blesser  Bless                   (=bénir)   Hurt/injure  He was injured in a road accident.
 Chance  Chance  (=hasard/possibilité)   Luck  Good luck!  I hope you'll be as lucky as Tom.
 Coin  Coin     (=pièce de monnaie)   Corner  The cinema is at the corner of the street.
 Commander  Command        (=ordonner)   Order  He ordered food for everybody.
 Conducteur  Conductor 
   (=chef d'orchestre / contrôleur)
  Driver  She told the driver to be careful on the roads.
 Confection  Confection           (=friandise)   Clothing industry/
  ready-made clothes
 He works in the the clothing industry.
 He sells ready-made clothes.
 Contrôler  Control  (=maîtriser, dominer)   Check  Tickets are checked before boarding.
 Déception  Deception  
                   (=tromperie,duperie)
  Disappointment  His failure was a big disappointment.
 Decevoir  Deceive      (=tromper, duper)   Disappoint  The players were disappointed not to win.
 Délai  Delay                (retard)   Time limit/deadline  We cannot extend the time limit.
 Friday is the absolute deadline.
 Envie  Envy                   (=jalousie)   Want/feel like  I don't want to go/I don't feel like going.
 Eventuellement  Eventually
              
(=à la fin, pour finir)
  Possibly/ perhaps/
  if need be
 If need be, I could send a fax.
 Formidable  Formidable
              (=redoutable, effrayant)
  Great/terrific  You did a great/terrific job!
 Fortuné  Fortunate         (=chanceux)   Wealthy, well-off  The money was donated by a wealthy man.
 Fournitures  Furniture     (=ameublement)   Supplies  Julie is responsible for office supplies.
 Gentil  Gentle                   (=doux)   Nice/kind  She's a nice person.
 She has a kind word for everyone.
 Habit  Habit                 (=habitude)   Clothes, dress  The old man was wearing his Sunday clothes.
 Ignorer  Ignore 
         (
=ne pas prêter attention/
               meconnaÎtre)
  Not pay attention/
  take no notice/
  know nothing
 It's best not to pay attention to his behaviour.
 I know nothing about the incident.
 Important  Important
          
(=avoir de l'importance)
  Big/large  There was a big crowd waiting for the Queen.
 Inconvenant  Inconvenient
          
(inopportun, mal choisi)
  Improper  Improper behaviour will not be tolerated.
 Injure  Injure                         (=blesser)   Insult  Please don't take that as an insult.
 Large  Large                    (=grand)   Wide  The Champs Elysées is a very wide avenue.
 Lecture  Lecture 
         
(=conference/formal talk)
  Reading  Anne likes reading.
 Librairie  Library          (=bibliothèque)   Bookshop  A bookshop is where you buy books.
 (You borrow books from a library.)
 Location  Location*     (=emplacement)   Rental/lease
  To rent/to let
 They signed a 2-year rental/lease agreement.
 The house was let for two years.
 Monnaie  Money                  (=argent)   Currency/change  I need change for the parking meter.
 What currency is used in Finland?
 Organisme
 
(autorité/administration)
 Organism
         
(=organisme biologique)
  Organization/agency  A relief agency is providing food and shelter.
 Pièce  Piece                 (=morceau)   Room/play  How many rooms are there in the house?
 I saw a good play at the theatre yesterday.
 Prévenir  Prevent                 (=empêcher)   Warn  He shouted to warn us of the danger.
 Professeur
 (collège/lycée)
 Professor     (tit.d'une chaire)   Teacher  My father is a teacher at the high school and
 my mother is a professor at the university.
 Realiser  Realize    (=se rendre compte)   Carry  out/accomplish
  Come true (a dream)
 The plan was carried out perfectly.
 I hope all your dreams will come true.
 Regarder  Regard             (=considérer)   Look at  Let's look at the pictures.
 Reunion  Reunion     
    (=rassemblement/retrouvailles)
  Meeting  A meeting was held to discuss the problem.
 Resumer  Resume
       
(=reprendre/recommencer)
  Summarize, sum up  The report summarizes the main points.
 Sensible  Sensible                (=sensé)   Sensitive  This cream is for sensitive skin.
 Situation (geo.)  Situation      (=emplacement)   Location* / situation  The offices are in an good location.
 The situation of the building is ideal.
 Store  Store                     (=magasin)   Blind  We have blinds on our windows.
 Supporter  Support              (=soutenir)   Put up with  Teachers have to put up with noisy children.
 Sympathique  Sympathetic  (=compatissant)   Nice/friendly/likeable  Our new neighbours are very nice.
 Jack is a very likeable guy.


 


back to top

 

    back to lessons                                      homepage                                                   wordgames

 


 
copyright © k.beke.  all rights reserved.