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Vocabulary and expressions · level A2 to B2 · 9 min

Common French false friends

A false friend (« faux ami ») is a French word that looks like a word in another language but does not mean the same thing. For English speakers, the trap is everywhere, because so many French and English words look alike. For each word, this lesson gives the French meaning, the most common misreading and the word to use instead.

TL;DR

  • False friends look like English words but mean something else, and they change the meaning of your sentence.
  • « Actuellement » means currently, « éventuellement » means possibly, « une librairie » sells books.
  • To introduce someone, say « présenter quelqu'un », not « introduire ».

Goal: Recognize the most common false friends, know their real meaning in French and choose the right word when you write and when you read.

Why false friends matter in the TCF

In the reading section, a false friend can make you pick the wrong answer even though you understood the rest of the text. Wrong options often reuse a word from the document with a different meaning.

In the writing section, a false friend changes the meaning of your sentence. The examiner does not guess what you meant: they read what you wrote. A sentence such as « Je suis actuellement satisfait » does not mean "I am actually satisfied" but "I am currently satisfied".

The most common false friends

If a word in this table looks like an English word you know, check that you are using it with its French meaning.

WordWhat it means in FrenchMisleading English look-alikeFor that meaning, say
actuellementcurrently, right nowactuallyen fait, en réalité
éventuellementpossibly, if neededeventuallyfinalement
une librairiea bookshopa libraryune bibliothèque
une locationa rental (the act of renting)a locationun lieu, un endroit
sensiblesensitivesensiblesensé, raisonnable
prétendreto claim without proofto pretendfaire semblant
resterto stayto restse reposer
une déceptiona disappointmenta deceptionune tromperie, un mensonge
attendreto waitto attend (classes)suivre des cours, aller à
Example in French, as in the exam
« Je travaille actuellement dans une boulangerie » signifie « en ce moment », pas « en réalité ».
Example in French, as in the exam
« J'ai loué un appartement : la location coûte 700 euros par mois. » La location, c'est le loyer ou le contrat, pas l'endroit.

Words whose meaning depends on the construction

Some words are not really false friends, but their meaning depends on what follows them. This is often where B1 and B2 mistakes hide.

  • « Assister à » an event means to attend it. « Assister quelqu'un » means to help someone in their work.
  • « Réaliser un projet » means to carry out a project. For "to suddenly understand", prefer « se rendre compte » in formal writing.
  • « Introduire » means to put something in (a key, an idea). To introduce a person, French says « présenter quelqu'un ».
Example in French, as in the exam
« J'ai assisté à la réunion des parents d'élèves » : j'y étais présent.
Example in French, as in the exam
« Je vous présente ma collègue, Mme Keller » et non « je vous introduis ma collègue ».

False friends inside French

Two almost identical French words can also mislead you. These are called paronyms (« paronymes »). In the TCF, they appear mostly in B2 and C1 texts.

WordMeaningDo not confuse withMeaning
imminentabout to happen very soonéminentoutstanding, important
la conjoncturethe current situationune conjecturea guess, an assumption
une infractionan offence, breaking a ruleune effractiona break-in, entry by force
Example in French, as in the exam
« Un orage est imminent, rentrez les chaises de la terrasse. »
Example in French, as in the exam
« Le cambrioleur est entré par effraction ; il a commis une infraction grave. »

A method to stop falling into the trap

  • Be wary of words that look too easy in a difficult text: reread the whole sentence to check the meaning.
  • Keep your own list of false friends in a notebook, with an example sentence in French.
  • Check a doubtful word in the site's dictionary: the definition and the example are in French, with an English translation.

A common mistake

✗ Je vais à la librairie pour emprunter des livres.

✓ Je vais à la bibliothèque pour emprunter des livres.

In a « librairie » you buy books; you borrow them in a « bibliothèque ». The word looks like the English "library", hence the mistake.

Frequently asked questions

Does « actuellement » mean « actually »?+
No. « Actuellement » means "right now" (currently). To say "actually", use « en fait » or « en réalité »: « En fait, je n'ai pas reçu le courriel. » (Actually, I did not receive the email.)
Does « éventuellement » mean « eventually »?+
No. « Éventuellement » means "if needed, maybe" (possibly). The English "eventually" translates as « finalement » or « à la fin »: « Finalement, il a accepté le poste. » (Eventually, he accepted the job.)
Is a « librairie » a library?+
No: in a « librairie » you buy books, in a « bibliothèque » you borrow them. "Library" therefore translates as « bibliothèque ».
Does « assister à une réunion » mean to assist?+
No, « assister à » means to be present (to attend). « Assister quelqu'un », without « à », means to help them. Also watch out for « attendre », which means "to wait".

Practice exercise with answers

1. « Actuellement, je suis au chômage, mais je cherche un poste de comptable. » What does « actuellement » mean?

2. You want to say that your friend acted as if he were sick. Which sentence is correct?

3. In a text: « Le musée pourrait éventuellement fermer le lundi. » Which rephrasing is correct?

4. Which word completes the sentence? « Les voleurs sont entrés par … dans l'entrepôt. »

Next step

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