When you’re learning a new language, a cognate is an easy word to remember because it looks and means the same thing as a word you already know. For this reason, recognizing cognates in written form is very easy. Though these words look exactly alike and have the same meaning, pronunciation is often very different from one language to another. This can make it difficult to spot them as words you know while listening.
I’ve put together this list so that you can see how many French words you already know, even if you’re a beginner! Get your alphabetical lists, audio recordings for studying pronunciation, and cognates text with audio in my cognates course. You must be logged in to your LLL French Academy account to access this course and everything that is included.
A
| abdomen | abdomen (m) noun |
| absence | absence (f) noun |
| absent | absent(e) adjective |
| absorption | absorption (f) noun |
| accent | accent (m) noun |
| accessible | accessible adjective |
| accident | accident (m) noun |
| accusation | accusation (f) noun |
| action | action (f) noun |
| addition | addition (f) noun |
| admiration | admiration (f) noun |
| adolescent | adolescent(e) (m / f) noun |
| adorable | adorable adjective |
| agriculture | agriculture (f) noun |
| alphabet | alphabet (m) noun |
| angle | angle (m) noun |
| animal | animal (m) noun |
| applicable | applicable adjective |
| art | art (m) noun |
| article | article (m) noun |
| attention | attention (f) noun |
| automobile | automobile (f) noun |
| avenue | avenue (f) noun |
B
| banjo | banjo (m) noun |
| banquet | banquet (m) noun |
| base | base (f) noun |
| bikini | bikini (m) noun |
| bizarre | bizarre adjective |
| blond | blond(e) adjective |
| bonus | bonus (m) noun |
| bouquet | bouquet (m) noun |
| boutique | boutique (f) noun |
| brave | brave adjective |
| brochure | brochure (f) noun |
| brutal | brutal(e) adjective |
| budget | budget (m) noun |
| bureau | bureau (m) noun |
| bus | bus (m) noun |
C
| cage | cage (f) noun |
| campus | campus (m) noun |
| capable | capable adjective |
| capture | capture (f) noun |
| carafe | carafe (f) noun |
| caramel | caramel (m) noun |
| cause | cause (f) noun |
| central | central(e) adjective |
| certain | certain(e) adjective |
| champion | champion (m) noun |
| chance | chance (f) noun |
| chaos | chaos (m) noun |
| chef | chef (m) noun |
| cigarette | cigarette (f) noun |
| clarification | clarification (f) noun |
| classification | classification (f) noun |
| client | client(e) (m ou f) noun |
| cognition | cognition (f) noun |
| collection | collection (f) noun |
| commercial | commercial(e) adjective |
| communication | communication (f) noun |
| complication | complication (f) noun |
| compliment | compliment (m) noun |
| compression | compression (f) noun |
| concentration | concentration (f) noun |
| concept | concept (m) noun |
| conclusion | conclusion (f) noun |
| condition | condition (f) noun |
| confession | confession (f) noun |
| confrontation | confrontation (f) noun |
| conscience | conscience (f) noun |
| content | content(e) adjective |
| continent | continent (m) noun |
| contribution | contribution (f) noun |
| convergence | convergence (f) noun |
| coordination | coordination (f) noun |
| correct | correct(e) adjective |
| costume | costume (m) noun |
| couple | couple (m) noun |
| crime | crime (m) noun |
| crucial | crucial(e) adjective |
| cruel | cruel(le) adjective |
| culture | culture (f) noun |
D
| danger | danger (m) noun |
| date | date (f) noun |
| description | description (f) noun |
| destination | destination(f) noun |
| destruction | destruction (f) noun |
| dialogue | dialogue (m) noun |
| diligent | diligent(e) adjective |
| dilution | dilution(f) noun |
| direct | direct(e) adjective |
| distance | distance(f) noun |
| distinct | distinct(e) adjective |
| divorce | divorce(m) noun |
| durable | durable adjective |
E
| effort | effort (m) noun |
| encouragement | encouragement(m) noun |
| endurance | endurance (f) noun |
| estimation | estimation(f) noun |
| exact | exact(e) adjective |
| excellent | excellent(e) adjective |
| excuse | excuse (f) noun |
| existence | existence (f) noun |
| exorbitant | exorbitant(e) adjective |
| expert | expert(e) (m ou f) noun |
| export | export (m) noun |
| extravagant | extravagant(e) adjective |
F
| fascination | fascination (f) noun |
| festival | festival (m) noun |
| fiasco | fiasco (m) noun |
| film | film (m) noun |
| final | final(e) noun (f) or adjective |
| flexible | flexible adjective |
| force | force (f) noun |
| fruit | fruit (m) noun |
| futile | futile adjective |
G
| garage | garage (m) noun |
| glucose | glucose (m) noun |
| gourmet | gourmet (m) noun |
| grain | grain (m) noun |
| gratitude | gratitude (f) noun |
| grotesque | grotesque adjective |
| guide | guide (m ou f) noun |
H
| habitable | habitable adjective |
| hibernation | hibernation (f) noun |
| horizon | horizon (m) noun |
| horizontal | horizontal(e) adjective |
| horrible | horrible adjective |
| hyperbole | hyperbole (f) noun |
| hypocrite | hypocrite (m ou f) noun or adjective |
I
| identifiable | identifiable adjective |
| identification | identification (f) noun |
| illustration | illustration (f) noun |
| imagination | imagination (f) noun |
| immersion | immersion (f) noun |
| impatience | impatience (f) noun |
| impression | impression (f) noun |
| improbable | improbable adjective |
| inaccessible | inaccessible adjective |
| indulgence | indulgence (f) noun |
| innocence | innocence (f) noun |
| instinct | instinct (m) noun |
| instruction | instruction (f) noun |
| intelligence | intelligence (f) noun |
| intelligent | intelligent(e) adjective |
| intuition | intuition (f) noun |
| inverse | inverse adjective |
| invisible | invisible adjective |
| irritable | irritable adjective |
| irritation | irritation (f) noun |
| isolation | isolation (f) noun |
J
| jazz | jazz (m) noun |
| judo | judo (m) noun |
| jungle | jungle (f) noun |
| jury | jury (m) noun |
| justice | justice (f) noun |
| justifiable | justifiable adjective |
K
| karma | karma (m) noun |
| kayak | kayak (m) noun |
| kiwi | kiwi (m) noun |
| kleenex | kleenex (m) noun |
| koala | koala (m) noun |
| kumquat | kumquat (m) noun |
L
| lamentable | lamentable adjective |
| laser | laser (m) noun |
| latent | latent(e) adjective |
| limitation | limitation (f) noun |
| logo | logo (m) noun |
| long | long(ue) adjective |
| lotion | lotion (f) noun |
M
| macabre | macabre adjective |
| machine | machine (f) noun |
| magazine | magazine (m) noun |
| manipulation | manipulation (f) noun |
| maritime | maritime adjective |
| massage | massage (m) noun |
| maximum | maximum (m) noun or adjective |
| menace | menace (f) noun |
| mental | mental(e) adjective |
| message | message (m) noun |
| microbe | microbe (m) noun |
| microphone | microphone (m) noun |
| miniature | miniature noun (f) or adjective |
| minimum | minimum noun (m) or adjective |
| minuscule | minuscule adjective |
| minute (time) | minute (time) (f) noun |
| miracle | miracle (m) noun |
| monument | monument (m) noun |
| moral | moral(e) adjective |
| multitude | multitude (f) noun |
| muscle | muscle (m) noun |
N
| nation | nation (f) noun |
| national | national(e) adjective |
| nature | nature (f) noun |
| nonchalant | nonchalant(e) adjective |
| normal | normal(e) adjective |
| notable | notable adjective |
| note | note (f) noun |
| novice | novice (f ou m) noun |
| nuance | nuance (f) noun |
O
| objection | objection (f) noun |
| obsession | obsession (f) noun |
| ode | ode (f) noun |
| omission | omission (f) noun |
| opinion | opinion (f) noun |
| optimal | optimal(e) adjective |
| orientation | orientation (f) noun |
| original | original(e) adjective |
P
| parachute | parachute (m) noun |
| parasite | parasite (m) noun |
| pardon | pardon (m) noun |
| participation | participation (f) noun |
| passage | passage (m) noun |
| patience | patience (f) noun |
| pause | pause (f) noun |
| perceptible | perceptible adjective |
| perfection | perfection (f) noun |
| permanent | permanent(e) adjective |
| pertinent | pertinent(e) adjective |
| photo | photo (f) noun |
| pirate | pirate (m) noun |
| place (where something or someone has its place or ranking) | place (f) noun |
| plausible | plausible adjective |
| point | point (m) noun |
| police | police (f) noun |
| position | position (f) noun |
| possession | possession (f) noun |
| possible | possible adjective |
| probable | probable adjective |
| public | public (m) noun |
| publication | publication (f) noun |
Q
| quadrant | quadrant (m) noun |
| qualification | qualification (f) noun |
| question | question (f) noun |
| questionnaire | questionnaire (m) noun |
| quota | quota (m) noun |
R
| racial | racial(e) adjective |
| radar | radar (m) noun |
| radiant | radiant(e) adjective |
| radiation | radiation (f) noun |
| radio | radio (f) noun |
| rat | rat (m) noun |
| rectangle | rectangle noun (m) or adjective |
| recyclable | recyclable noun (m) |
| regret | regret (m) noun |
| religion | religion (f) noun |
| respect | respect (m) noun |
| respectable | respectable adjective |
| restaurant | restaurant (m) noun |
| route | route (f) noun |
| royal | royal(e) adjectif |
| rural | rural(e) adjective |
S
| sacrifice | sacrifice (m) noun |
| saint | saint(e)(m or f) noun |
| sanction | sanction (f) noun |
| sandwich | sandwich (m) noun |
| satisfaction | satisfaction (f) noun |
| saturation | saturation (f) noun |
| sauna | sauna (m) noun |
| science | science (f) noun |
| script | script (m) noun |
| second | second(e) adjective |
| secret | secret (m) noun |
| secret | secret / secrète adjective |
| segment | segment (m) noun |
| senior | senior (m) noun |
| service | service (m) noun |
| session | session (f) noun |
| signature | signature (f) noun |
| silence | silence (m) noun |
| simple | simple adjective |
| simplification | simplification (f) noun |
| site | site (m) noun |
| situation | situation (f) noun |
| sketch (a skit) | sketch (m) noun |
| slogan | slogan (m) noun |
| snob | snob noun (m or f) or adjective |
| sociable | sociable adjective |
| social | social(e) adjectif |
| soda | soda (m) noun |
| sofa | sofa (m) noun |
| solitude | solitude (f) noun |
| solution | solution (f) noun |
| sophistication | sophistication (f) noun |
| source | source (f) noun |
| spinal | spinal(e) adjective |
| sprint | sprint (m) noun |
| statue | statue (f) noun |
| stimulation | stimulation (f) noun |
| structure | structure (f) noun |
| style | style (m) noun |
| sublime | sublime adjective |
| substitution | substitution (f) noun |
| succession | succession (f) noun |
| suffocation | suffocation (f) noun |
| suggestion | suggestion (f) noun |
| suicide | suicide (m) noun |
| surprise | surprise (f) noun |
| suspect | suspect(e) noun (m or f) or adjective |
| syndrome | syndrome (m) noun |
| synopsis | synopsis (f) noun |
T
| taxi | taxi (m) noun |
| technique | technique noun (f) or adjective |
| tennis | tennis (m) noun |
| tension | tension (f) noun |
| terrible | terrible adjective |
| test | test (m) noun |
| texture | texture (f) noun |
| trait (character) | trait (m) noun |
| transition | transition (f) noun |
| transparent | transparent(e) adjective |
U
| ultimatum | ultimatum (m) noun |
| unification | unification (f) noun |
| unique | unique adjective |
| urgent | urgent(e) adjective |
| usage | usage (f) noun |
V
| vacant | vacant(e) adjective |
| vague | vague noun (f) or adjective |
| vain | vain(e) adjective |
| variable | variable adjective |
| variation | variation (f) noun |
| vertical | vertical(e) adjective |
| vestige | vestige (m) noun |
| vibrant | vibrant(e) adjective |
| vibration | vibration (f) noun |
| village | village (m) noun |
| violence | violence (f) noun |
| violent | violent(e) adjective |
| viral | viral(e) adjective |
| virus | virus (m) noun |
| visa | visa (m) noun |
| visible | visible adjective |
| volume | volume (m) noun |
| vote | vote (m) noun |
w
| wagon | wagon (m) noun |
| water polo | water polo (m) noun |
| webcam | webcam (f) noun |
| weekend | weekend (m) noun |
| western | western (m) noun |
X
| xylophone | xylophone (m) noun |
Y
| yacht | yacht (m) noun |
| yoga | yoga (m) noun |
Z
| zinc | zinc (m) noun |
| zombie | zombie (m) noun |
| zone | zone (f) noun |
| zoo | zoo (m) noun |