Be a true friend, not a false friend*!

If you’ve ever travelled to France, or to another French-speaking country, or delighted in a French-language book or movie, perhaps you’ve come across words that sound oh-so-familiar, yet seem to have an entirely different meaning. Words like “actuellement,” “librairie,” or “souvenir.”  Because of the many shared roots of the English and French languages, there are many instances where a = a and b = b (e.g. a table =  “une table” and a document = “un document”); but there are also many cases where two identical-looking words are not…identique.

Here are a few examples to whet your appétit!

French            English

actuellement – actually

In French, actuellement means “now” or “currently,” whereas the English “actually” indicates what’s real or truly exists.

envie – envy

If you have “une envie de faire quelque chose,” it means you wish to do something, like perhaps visit the vallée de la Loire, or go to the Louvre. If you have “envy” though, you might be eyeballing those en route to the airport…

librairie – library

The “librairie” is where you go to purchase your new, pristine copy of  “Du Côté de Chez Swann” or other oeuvre; whereas, the library is where you go to borrow a copy.

entrée – entrée

So, these two words aren’t so far apart in meaning (both make reference to the world of cooking). But, in French, an “entrée” is the main course of your meal, whereas the English “entrée” is an appetizer.

menu – menu

This is a mistake I’ve commonly made – going to a restaurant, and asking for “un menu.” If you want to investigate the restaurant’s general offerings, you ask for “une carte,” but if you want a set deal (starter, main dish, and dessert), “un menu” is the way to go.

photographe – photograph

Here, it’s the “e” that makes the difference! “Photographe,” in French, is the person capturing the picture, while in English, “photograph” is what the photographer captures.

and...

soldes – sold

Now, it’s the season of “les soldes” in France. In French, “soldes” means “sales,” while in English, “sold” is the past tense of “to sell” (vendre).

What other false friends have you encountered on your literary/cultural/travel journeys? Let us know in the comments section below!

*a.k.a “false cognate” – two identical-looking words in two different languages that have different meanings