des faux amis / false cognates
French / English
List in progress / Travaux en cours
(updated: 16 juillet 2022)
This list includes:
- "false friends": words which look alike, or sound alike, but the means are different
- words whose primary meanings are different
Cette liste comprend :
- "faux amis" : des mots dont le son ou le regard se ressemblent, mais les significations sont différents
- des mots dont la signification primaire est différent
abbreviations:
QC = usage plus au Québec
FR = usage plus en France
aberrant 1) ridiculous (usually); 2) as English
aberrant deviant
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accolade, f 1) usually: an embrace; 2) as English
accolade une acclamation, une marque d'approbation, un honneur
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accoutrement costume, attire
accoutrements paraphernalia, equipment
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actuel current, present
actual réel, exact
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actuellement currently, at the moment, right now, presently
actually (really) en fait, vraiment, réellement, effectivement
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adept(e), nom a follower, fan
adept, noun a person who is skilled at something
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agenda, m journal (journal intime)
agenda ordre du jour (de réunion);
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agoniser to be dying
agonize se tourmenter
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allure, f pace, speed (un cheval), (la vitesse, on déplace); appearance, style, look
allure attrait, charme (QC: “ça a pas d’allure” = it’s crazy)
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ancien former (i.e. alumni)
ancient antiquité, l'histoire ancien
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aspersion, m spray, spraying, sprinkling
aspersion opprobre, accusation injuste
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assister à to be present at, attend, witness; (sans “à”, = assist: ex: comme être adjoint principal, comme infirmière)
assist aider
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assumer to take on, or accept; assume a role
assume 1) supposer; 2) comme en fran.
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attendre to wait
attend assister à
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avertissement, m warning
advertisement publicité, f
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axe, m axis
axe hache, f (hachette, f = hatchet)
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bail, m a lease
bail (nom) caution, f ($ get out of jail)
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balance, f scales (for weighing) (“ça balance” = it’s equal)
balance équilibre
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ballot, m bundle, bale, pack
ballot un bulletin de vote (paper ballot); scrutin, m (general: secret vote)
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blesser to wound
bless bénir
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bout, m end, tip, piece
bout match, m (sport); periode, f (du temps)
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bribe, f fragments (ex: bits, bits of conversation; bris - frag. of glass)
bribes pots-de-vin
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canard, m 1) a duck; 2) a hoax
canard 1) hoax, fabrication
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capital (m, adj) crucial; $ equity; approval, uppercase
capital (noun) $; lettre majuscule
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capteur, m sensor
captor ravisseur, m
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car, m because; (“car” l'autobus: FR)
car voiture, f
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casserole, f type of pan
casserole pot and the meal (une cocotte - aussi les 2 sens en fran.)?
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cautionner endorse, condone, sanction
caution mettre en garde
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cave, f cellar, (basement in a house)
cave grotte
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célibataire single or unmarried
celibate chaste, abstinent
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chair, f flesh
chair chaise, f, fauteuil, siège
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chance, f luck
chance (par) hasard
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change (m, nom) foreign currency/exchange; de l'échange, les changes d'argent
change (noun) pièce (de monnaie)
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circulation, f 1) traffic; 2) movement (i.e. blood)
circulation 1) movement; 2) occasionally applied for traffic
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cliché, m FR photo, snapshot; QC stereotype
cliché 1) stereotype
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coin, m corner
coin pièce (de monnaie)
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collection, f group of things
collection 1) la recueil 2) la collecte (ex: de déchets)
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comédien(ne) actor
comedian comique
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complainte, f lament
complaint plainte, f, réclamation, f.
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compréhensive, f understanding compréhensif, m
comprehensive complèt (complete, finished)
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concurrence, f competition
concurrence 1) occurrence simultanée 2) assentiment, accord
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confection, f making, clothing (verb: confectionner) (putting the parts together)
comprehensive complèt (complete, finished)
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congeler to freeze
congeal coaguler, solidifier
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contempler usually: gaze at
contemplate réfléchir sur qqch
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couche, f diaper; layer
couch un divan
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courtier, m a broker
courtier courtisan
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conviction, f belief
conviction 1) belief; 2) legal judgment (accusation, f)
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course, f race
course route, direction; class (un cours) dish (meal; un plat)
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crasse 1) noun, f., dirt 2) as Eng.
crass adj., lacking intelligence or sensitivity
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crayon stylo, une plume (expensive) / crayon à mine (ou plomb) = lead pencil, crayon à l'encre = ink pen
crayon crayon de cire
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crier scream, yell, shout
cry pleurer; ("cry out" = crier)
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déception disappointment (verb: décevoir)
deception tromperie, duperie
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déconcerté surprised
disconcerted disturbed composure, unsettled (pertubé)
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défiance, f mistrust, non-confidence
defiance le défi
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défunt deceased person (people, not things)
defunct no longer existing or functioning (seul. des choses, pas des gens) désaffectée, ancien
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demander to ask
demand insist, order (exiger, voir: réclamer)
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denier, m a penny
denier 1) nier: to deny; 2) a penny
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dent, f tooth
dent une entaille une bosse, un brèche
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député member of parliament
deputy adjoint (second in command)
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dérider to cheer up
deride express contempt for, ridicule (ridiculiser)
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désagrément inconvenience, discomfort
disagreement désaccord
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déterrer to dig something up
deter dissuade, prévoir
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disposer de to have at your disposal
dispose of débarrasser
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dramatique (non et adj) horrendous, appalling
dramatic sudden or extreme (un drame / a drama : ce sont des même choses: un pièce de théâtre, film, tv)
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dresser to train; to erect, set up, establish
to dress s'habiller, ou faire habiller qqun ou qqchose
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éditeur publisher
editor correcteur (copy editor) rédacteur(trice) en chef (ex: newspaper chief)
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embrasser 1) accept, adopt; 2) kiss
embrace 1) accept, support; 2) hug (prendre ou serrer qq'un dans les bras)
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encenser to praise (louer)
incense to make very angry (mettre en colère)
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énerver to annoy, irritate
enervate to cause someone to feel drained of energy; weaken (amollir, débiter)
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engrossée "knocked up" (enceinte)
engrossed absorbé (par qqchose ou qqun)
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espadrilles Quebec: running shoes, sneakers
espadrilles canvas shoes with rope soles
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étiquette, m 1) label; 2) manners
etiquette manners (only)
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évent vent; blowhole
event événement, m
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éventuellement possibly, if necessary
eventually at some point: à un moment donné
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évincer to evict, oust
evince démontrer, manifester (to reveal, i.e. evidence, display)
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experimenter 1) experience; 2) experiment
experiment to test or research
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fabrique, f board council: church)
fabric tissu
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facilité ability
facility 1) ability; 2) a place (for a particular purpose)
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fastidieux tedious, pénible, fatigant
fastidious attentive and concerned about accuracy and detail (pointilleux, minutieux, tatillon), or cleanliness (méticuleux)
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forcément necessarily
forcefully avec force, énergiquement, avec vigueur
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forfait, m package (deal)
forfeit renoncer, perdre
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formidable great (terrific!)
formidable redoutable
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fournitures supplies, equipment, materials
furniture meubles
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foyer, m 1) home; 2) fireplace; 3) entrance area; 4) senior residences
foyer entrance area
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générique 1) (nom) film credits; 2) (adj) generic
generic générique
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génial brilliant
genial amicale
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gentil kind, nice, likeable
gentle doux
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globalement generally; globally (in a wide sense)
globally mondialement; au niveau mondial
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grief, m a grievance
grief sorrow (le chagrin, la peine)
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groom (noun) the man getting married (marriage ceremony); le fiancé
groom (non) non: bellboy, bellhop, servant
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gros big, large
gross brut; dégoûtant
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hazard by chance
hazard danger
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herbe grass; fins d'herbes
herbs herbs, not grass
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hurl(er) (je hurle) scream
hurl jeter, lancer (throw)
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inédit new, unpublished, unprecedented
unedited non-edité
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inhabité uninhabited
inhabited habité
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injures (verbal) abuse
injuries blessures
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interloqué very surprised, taken aback
interlocked connected pieces (enclencher, entrelacer)
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instances authorities, bodies, forums, agencies
instances les cas, les examples, les occasions
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intoxiqué 1) poisoned; 2) intoxicated
intoxicated drunk, stoned
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isolation insulation l'insolation = too much sun
isolation isolement sunstroke, over-exposure
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issue, f outcome, conclusion; (issu de) derived from
issue an issue (un problème, un différend)
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joli(e) nice; pretty
jolly cheerful, jovial
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large wide, broad
large big (gros)
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lecture, f reading (matter)
lecture cours magistral (school lesson); conférence (public lecture)
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légumes vegetables
legumes beans, peas, lentils (= légumineuses)
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lentille, f 1) a lens; 2) edible seed
lentil edible seed
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librairie bookshop
library bibliothèque
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lime, m 1) fruit; 2) nail file; 3) la chaux
lime 1) fruit 3) mineral
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liqueur, m soft drink
liquor hard drinks, spirits (spiritueux) liqueur = vin apéritif, aperitif digestif
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location rental, lease
location emplacement, localisation, endroit, lieu
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lunatique (nom, adj.) moody, temperamental (usu: distracted)
lunatique noun: dément(e), cinglé(e) / adj: fou
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manifestation demonstration (protest march)
manifestation clear demonstration of something
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médecin doctor
medicine le médicament, la médecine (la science) (un doctor = autres, ex PhD)
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merci 1) thank you; 2) mercy (littéraire)
mercy miséricorde, f
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misère avoir de la misère: difficulty to do qqchose j'ai la misère: am impoverished (usu. $)
misery extreme sadness be miserable ex: I am miserable / je suis malheureux/euse
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monnaie seulement les pièces, "change" (QC); currency
money l'argent (can be both bills & coins); bills (les billets); "la fric" (FR)
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obéissance obedience
obeisance hommage, révérence, un geste de respect
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onéreux costly, expensive
onerous oppressive, burdensome; lourd, pénible
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opiner 1) express an opinion; 2) agree, nod one's head opiner de la tête / du bonnet / du chef
opine express an opinion
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pain, m bread
pain la douleur
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pair, m peer
pair paire, f (two of something)
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un parent a family relation, mes parent un parenté kinship, relationship
parent mother or father
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parole, f word, "take the floor" (one's turn to talk)
parole early release from jail (la liberté conditionnelle)
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patron 1) boss, owner; clientele 2) sewing pattern
patron bienfaiteur, m (benefactor), mécène, m
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pie, f magpie
pie tarte, m
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pile, f. battery; also as E (QC) "un battérie"
pile heap (une pile, un tas)
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police, m 1) officer; 2) (de caractères) font
police officer
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portemonteau, f hat stand, coat rack
portmanteau 1) large trunk or suitcase; une grande-valise
2) a word combining the meanings of two others (ex: motel: motor / hotel) un mot-valise
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préservatif 1) condom (QC); 2) as Eng.
preservative conservateur
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prétendre 1) claim; 2) pretend (as Eng.)
pretend 1) faire semblant; 2) prétendre
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procès trial
process processus
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promiscuité, f closeness, geographic proximity
promiscuity la promiscuité sexuelle
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prune, f plum
prune pruneau
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quitter to leave
quit arrêter, cesser
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raisin grape
raisin raisin sec
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rampant, adj. 1) crawling, creeping; 2) as En
rampant, adj. uncontrolled spreading (endémique)
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rapport, m 1) a report 2) a good connection
rapport seul. 2) la bonne communication
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récipient, m vessel (container)
recipient m/f: destinataire, bénéficiaire, récipiendaire
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réclamer demand, insist (voir: "demander")
reclaim get something back (reprendre, récupérer)
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refrain 1- (noun) part of a song
refrain 1- comme en français; 2- (verb) s'abstenir
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regard, m (noun) a look
regard (nom) an attention or concern for something / l'égard (pour qq'un) le respect (conformité)
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rein, m kidney
rein(s) straps (for guiding a horse)
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rentable profitable
rentable available for rent
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repaire, m den, lair
repair something that is fixed
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résumer summarize
resume recommencer, reprendre
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rester to stay
rest se reposer
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rétribution remuneration, salary
retribution châtiment (chastisement, punishment)
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ride, f line, wrinkle
ride (noun) ex: dans la voiture: "un ride"; un tour; un manège
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river, m a rivet
river rivière, f
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rude rough, tough, hard
rude impoli, grossier
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sable, m sand
sable zibeline, poil de martre
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sensible sensitive
sensible sensible, raisonnable (c'est sensé... /it's supposed to...)
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séquelle, f aftermath, consequences
sequel as in French; 2) what follows in a story
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sort, m fate, destiny; spell
sort la sorte, le genre, le type
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souvenir memory
souvenir memento
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stage (training) course
stage un scène
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store blinds, shade
store 1) magasins; 2) provisions
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subjuguer to enthrall, captivate
subjugate assujettir (de gens)
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sympathique nice, pleasant, friendly
sympathetic compatissant
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tentative, une (noun) an attempt
tentative (adjective) provisoire
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tier, m a third
tier level (niveau, m)
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tire, m taffy
tire pneu, m
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tissu fabric, material
tissue mouchoir en papier (mouchoir = Kleenex)
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tabler to bank on, to count on
table (verb) to present formally (présenter)
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tampon, m buffer, go-between un intérmédiaire, médiateur
tampon un tampon hygiénique
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testament, m a will, a testament
testament 1) testament, m; 2) témoignage, m
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tourniquet, m turnstile
tourniquet garrot, m
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traînée, f a prostitute
trainee un stagiaire
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trépidation vibration
trepidation fear, anxiety
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truand, m mobster, hoodlum
truant un absent
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ultérieure, adj. later / ex: at a later date
ulterior secret, dissimulé; ulterior motive: arrière pensée
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venue coming
venue le lieu de la rencontre
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veste light jacket or sleeveless? veston = whole suit
vest (sleeveless jacket); gilet de qqchose ; il faut préciser, ex: veste par balle
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venue la venue de (the coming of....)
venue le lieu, l'endroit, la salle
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vulgarisation popularization, simplification
vulgarity vulgaire, grossier