Faux Amis

[Dwayne Roberts]

The following is a list I've made of French words that resemble English ones but in reality are different. I'm not interested in words (such as "poison" and "six" and "fiancé") that are the same in both languages. Would you care to add to this list?

 

as

assist

attend

bless

bras

but

cave

chair

chat

choir

chose

comment

figure

fin

four

irons

laid

lit

main

met

on

or

ours

pain

pays

pour

sale

sang

seize

smoking

son

sort

store

tape

tire

ton

tour

[Dwayne Roberts]

parfait

En anglais, ce nom désigne un type particulier de dessert.
In French, this adjective means "perfect".

[Charlie's French Factory]

Here's a few more: opportunité and éventuellement. These mean "the right moment" and "possibly" respectively.

[Neil Coffey]

In standard French as you say, éventuellement isn't used with the same meaning as "eventually" in English. This is a common mistake by both English and French people. (Apparently in Canadian French it can mean "eventually".)

 

Interestingly, though, opportunité is now widely accepted in French to mean the same as "opportunity" in English. So for example, avoir l'opportunité de faire qch = to have/get the opportunity to do sth. This usage is now fairly standard and widespread so I would be reluctant to call opportunité a faux ami as such.

[Dwayne Roberts]

mare

 

En anglais, c'est une jument.

In French, this is a pond or pool. "une mare de sang" = a pool of blood.

 

[Dwayne Roberts]

bide

 

I will bide my time = J'attendrai pour une bonne occasion.

J'ai un gros bide = I have a paunch.

[Dwayne Roberts]

fur

En anglais, c'est la fourrure.
In French, this is "as".

[Neil Coffey]

Just for clarity: in French, the word fur is always used in the expression au fur et à mesure, which as a fixed expression means something like "as things go along", "as he goes along", "periodically as..." etc.

[Dwayne Roberts]

I've not seen this phrase before. Would you use it in a (French) sentence, please?

[Ed la mouette]

On améliore son français au fur et à mesure de la lecture de ce forum.

[Dwayne Roberts]

dent (indentation)

 

tooth, tine

la bosse. J'ai fait une bosse à sa voiture = I put a dent in his car

[Dwayne Roberts]

lame

 

En anglais, c'est un adjectif qui signifie boiteux.

In French, la lame is a blade.

[lauris]

I would have translated lame by "ennuyeux". But maybe it has several meanings