Faux Amis: 50 French False Friends

Les faux-amis are words from distinct languages that share a striking resemblance in form but carry different meanings. This is why they are called French false friends.

By familiarizing yourself with these false cognates, you can prevent future confusion and in some cases possible embarrassment!

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🇫🇷 Actuel 🇫🇷	🚫 Actual 🚫 ✅ Current ✅	🇺🇸 Actual 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Réel 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Actuellement 🇫🇷	🚫 Actually 🚫 ✅ Currently ✅	🇺🇸 Actually 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 En fait, En réalité 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Agenda 🇫🇷	🚫 Agenda 🚫 ✅ Study planner ✅	🇺🇸 Agenda 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Programme 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Assister 🇫🇷	🚫 To help 🚫 ✅ To attend ✅	🇺🇸 To help 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Aider 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Attendre 🇫🇷	🚫 To attend 🚫 ✅ To wait ✅	🇺🇸 To attend 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Assister 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Avertissement 🇫🇷	🚫 Advertisement 🚫 ✅ Warning ✅	🇺🇸 Advertisement 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Publicité 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Balance 🇫🇷	🚫 To balance 🚫 ✅ Scale (weight) ✅	🇺🇸 To balance 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Tenir en équilibre 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Blessé 🇫🇷	🚫 Blessed 🚫 ✅ Injured ✅	🇺🇸 Blessed 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Béni 🇫🇷 (religion) 🇫🇷 Bienheureux 🇫🇷 (personne)
🇫🇷 Bra 🇫🇷	🚫 Bra 🚫 ✅ Arm ✅	🇺🇸 Bra 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Soutien-gorge 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Brave 🇫🇷	🚫 Brave 🚫 ✅ Kind ✅ ✅ Good-natured ✅	🇺🇸 Brave 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Courageux 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Caméra 🇫🇷	🚫 Camera 🚫 ✅ Movie camera ✅	🇺🇸 Camera 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Appareil photo 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Cave 🇫🇷	🚫 Cave 🚫 ✅ Cellar ✅	🇺🇸 Cave 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Grotte 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Car 🇫🇷	🚫 Car 🚫 ✅ Coach / Bus ✅	🇺🇸 Car 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Voiture 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Caution 🇫🇷	🚫 Caution 🚫 ✅ Financial guarantee ✅	🇺🇸 Caution 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Prudence 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Chair 🇫🇷	🚫 Chair 🚫 ✅ Flesh ✅	🇺🇸 Chair 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Chaise 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Coin 🇫🇷	🚫 Coin 🚫 ✅ Corner ✅	🇺🇸 Coin 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Pièce 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Collège 🇫🇷	🚫 College – Uni 🚫 ✅ Middle school ✅	🇺🇸 College – Uni 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Université, Fac 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Commander 🇫🇷	🚫 To command 🚫 ✅ Place an order ✅	🇺🇸 To command 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Ordonner 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Confus 🇫🇷	🚫 Confused 🚫 ✅ Embarrassed ✅	🇺🇸 Confused 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Perdu, Désorienté 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Contrôler 🇫🇷	🚫 To control 🚫 ✅ Check, inspect ✅	🇺🇸 To control 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Manipuler (sth) 🇫🇷 🇫🇷 Maîtriser (sth/sb) 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Correspondance 🇫🇷 (transport)	🚫 Correspondence (communication) 🚫 ✅ Connection ✅	🇺🇸 Correspondence 🇺🇸 (communication) 🇫🇷 Correspondance 🇫🇷 (has more than one meaning in French)
🇫🇷 Course 🇫🇷	🚫 Course 🚫 ✅ Race ✅	🇺🇸 Course 🇺🇸 (school) 🇫🇷 Cours 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Crier 🇫🇷	🚫 To cry 🚫 ✅ To scream ✅	🇺🇸 To cry 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Pleurer 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Déception 🇫🇷	🚫 Deception 🚫 ✅ Disappointment ✅	🇺🇸 Deception 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Tromperie 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Délicat 🇫🇷	🚫 Delicate 🚫 ✅ Sensitive ✅	🇺🇸 Delicate 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Fragile, Sensible 🇫🇷 (can also be délicat in certain contexts)
🇫🇷 Demander 🇫🇷	🚫 To demand 🚫 ✅ To ask ✅	🇺🇸 To demand 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Exiger 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Entrée 🇫🇷 (food)	🚫 Main course 🚫 ✅ First course ✅	🇺🇸 Main course 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Plat principal 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Éventuellement 🇫🇷	🚫 Eventually 🚫 ✅ Possibly ✅	🇺🇸 Eventually 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Finalement 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Fabrique 🇫🇷	🚫 Fabric 🚫 ✅ Factory ✅	🇺🇸 Fabric 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Tissu 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Fournitures 🇫🇷	🚫 Furniture 🚫 ✅ Supplies ✅	🇺🇸 Furniture 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Meubles 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Graduation 🇫🇷	🚫 Graduation 🚫 ✅ Measurement ✅	🇺🇸 Graduation 🇺🇸 (ceremony) 🇫🇷 Remise des diplômes 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Information(s) 🇫🇷	🚫 Information 🚫 ✅ News ✅	🇺🇸 Information 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Renseignements 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Journée 🇫🇷	🚫 Journey 🚫 ✅ Day ✅	🇺🇸 Journey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Voyage 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Librairie 🇫🇷	🚫 Library 🚫 ✅ Bookstore ✅	🇺🇸 Library 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Bibliothèque 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Location 🇫🇷	🚫 Location 🚫 ✅ Rental ✅	🇺🇸 Location 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Endroit 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Magasin 🇫🇷	🚫 Magazine 🚫 ✅ Store ✅	🇺🇸 Magazine 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Magazine 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Monnaie 🇫🇷	🚫 Money 🚫 ✅ Money returned ✅	🇺🇸 Money 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Argent 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Pain 🇫🇷	🚫 Pain 🚫 ✅ Bread ✅	🇺🇸 Pain 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Douleur 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Préservatif 🇫🇷	🚫 Preservative 🚫 ✅ Condom ✅	🇺🇸 Preservative 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Conservateur 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Prétendre 🇫🇷	🚫 To pretend 🚫 ✅ To claim ✅	🇺🇸 To pretend 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Faire semblant 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Prune 🇫🇷	🚫 Prune 🚫 ✅ Plum ✅	🇺🇸 Prune 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Pruneau 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Raisin 🇫🇷	🚫 Raisin 🚫 ✅ Grape ✅	🇺🇸 Raisin 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Raisin sec 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Réaliser 🇫🇷	🚫 To realize 🚫 ✅ To achieve ✅	🇺🇸 To realize 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Se rendre compte 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Recette 🇫🇷	🚫 Receipt 🚫 ✅ Recipe ✅	🇺🇸 Receipt 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Reçu 🇫🇷 🇫🇷 Ticket de caisse 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Rester 🇫🇷	🚫 To rest 🚫 ✅ To remain ✅	🇺🇸 To rest 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Se reposer 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Sale 🇫🇷	🚫 Sale 🚫 ✅ Dirty ✅	🇺🇸 Sale 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Vente 🇫🇷 (transaction) 🇫🇷 Soldes 🇫🇷 (prix réduit)
🇫🇷 Sensible 🇫🇷	🚫 Sensible 🚫 ✅ Sensitive ✅	🇺🇸 Sensible 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Raisonnable 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Supporter 🇫🇷	🚫 To support 🚫 ✅ To tolerate ✅	🇺🇸 To support 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Soutenir 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Sympathique 🇫🇷	🚫 Sympathetic 🚫 ✅ Nice ✅	🇺🇸 Sympathetic 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Compatissant 🇫🇷
🇫🇷 Tissu 🇫🇷	🚫 Tissue 🚫 ✅ Fabric ✅	🇺🇸 Tissue 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Mouchoir 🇫🇷

Faux Amis: 50 French False Friends

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