(Words That Look English… But Aren’t!)
Goal: Avoid common mistakes and confusion by learning the most misleading French “faux-amis” (false friends).
1. Actuellement ≠ Actually
❌ You think it means: Actually
✅ It really means: Currently
✅ In French: Je travaille actuellement à Paris. → “I currently work in Paris.”
2. Sensible ≠ Sensible
❌ You think it means: Sensible (logical)
✅ It really means: Sensitive
✅ In French: Elle est très sensible. → “She is very sensitive.”
3. Assister à ≠ To Assist
❌ You think it means: To help someone
✅ It really means: To attend
✅ In French: J’ai assisté à un concert. → “I attended a concert.”
4. Prétendre ≠ To Pretend
❌ You think it means: To fake something
✅ It really means: To claim
✅ In French: Il prétend être malade. → “He claims to be sick.”
5. Déception ≠ Deception
❌ You think it means: A lie or trick
✅ It really means: Disappointment
✅ In French: C’est une déception. → “It’s a disappointment.”
6. Attendre ≠ To Attend
❌ You think it means: To go to an event
✅ It really means: To wait
✅ In French: J’attends le bus. → “I’m waiting for the bus.”
7. Prune ≠ Prune
❌ You think it means: A dried fruit
✅ It really means: Plum
✅ In French: Elle mange une prune. → “She’s eating a plum.”
8. Passer un examen ≠ To Pass a Test
❌ You think it means: To succeed
✅ It really means: To take a test
✅ In French: J’ai passé l’examen. → “I took the exam.”
9. Collège ≠ College
❌ You think it means: University
✅ It really means: Middle school (ages ~11–14)
✅ In French: Mon fils est au collège. → “My son is in middle school.”
10. Rester ≠ To Rest
❌ You think it means: To relax or sleep
✅ It really means: To stay
✅ In French: Je reste à la maison. → “I’m staying home.”
11. Demander ≠ To Demand
❌ You think it means: To insist or order
✅ It really means: To ask
✅ In French: Je vais lui demander son numéro. → “I’m going to ask him for his number.”
Bonus table: more confusing lookalikes
| French Word | Looks Like… | Actually Means… |
|---|---|---|
| Librairie | Library | ✅ Bookstore |
| Monnaie | Money | ✅ Change (coins) |
| Location | Location | ✅ Rental |
| Éventuellement | Eventually | ✅ Possibly / Maybe |
🧪 Mini Quiz – False friend or not?
Which sentences are correct? (True/False)
- Je vais assister mon frère.
- Il est très sensible à la critique.
- J’ai passé mon examen hier.
- Elle est au collège.
- J’attends la réunion à 10h.
✅ Show answers
❌ False friend — should be “aider”
✅ Correct
✅ Correct
✅ Correct
❌ False friend — “attendre” means to wait, not to attend – should be “J’assiste à la réunion à 10h”