False friends between French and English

Here is a list of common false friends between French and English. The list is simplified – some words have more than one meaning, and the words aren’t always perfect synonyms. If you have any doubts, you can check a good dictionary.

ENGLISH vs. FRENCH
English French French English
actually = en fait actuellement = at the moment, currently
an advertisement = une publicité un avertissement = a warning
an agenda = un programme, un ordre du jour un agenda = diary
to assist = aider assister à = to attend
to attend = assister à attendre = to wait
to achieve = accomplir achever = to finish
agreement = accord un agrément = authorisation, approval
a cave = une grotte une cave = a cellar
a chance = une opportunité la chance = luck
to charge = faire payer charger = to load
circulation = circulation, diffusion, tirage circulation des véhicules = traffic
a college = université (US) un collège = a secondary school
confident = assuré un confident = a confidant(e)
convenient = pratique, commode convenir à = be suitable for
to control = gérer, diriger contrôler = to verify, check
to demand = exiger demander = to ask (for)
to dispose of = jeter disposer de = to have available
dramatic = spectaculaire dramatique = tragic, terrible
to elaborate = développer élaborer = to devise, produce, create
effectively = efficacement effectivement = actually, indeed
eventually = finalement éventuellement = possibly, potentially
expertise = compétence une expertise = an expert assessment
fabric = tissu fabrique = factory
figure = chiffre une figure = a face
furniture = meubles fournitures = (office) supplies
genial = aimable, sympathique génial = great, fantastic
gentle = doux, léger gentil = kind
a hazard = un danger le hasard = luck, fate
important = nécessaire, influent, principal important – grand, élevé = big, significant, considerable
to introduce = présenter introduire = to insert
a journal = une revue un journal = a newspaper
a journey = un voyage, un trajet une journée = a day
a lecture = une conférence lecture = reading
a library = une bibliothèque une librairie = a bookshop
a location = un endroit la location = rental
a manisfestation = un signe une manifestion = a demonstration, a protest
medicine = un médicament un médecin = a doctor
a mess = désordre une messe = a mass
money = l'argent la monnaie = change
normally = d'habitude, en général normalement = if all goes well; ‘should’ + verb
an odour = senteur désagréable odeur neutre = smell, fragrance
parking = le stationnement un parking = a car park, a parking lot
perfume = parfum artificiel parfum e.g. glace, vanille = flavour
pork = porc (viande) un cochon = a pig
a preservative = un conservateur un préservatif = a condom
to pretend = faire semblant prétendre = to claim
to prevent = empêcher prévenir = to warn
a process = un processus, un proceed, une procédure un procès = a trial
proper = correct propre = 1. clean 2. own
a prune = un pruneau une prune = a plum
quid pro quo = un compromis un quiproquo = a mistake, a misunderstanding
a raisin = un raisin sec un raisin = a grape
to range = varier, aller ranger = to tidy, to clean up
to realise = se rendre compte de réaliser = to make, produce, carry out, fulfil
to report = rapporter reporter = to reschedule
to rest = se reposer rester = to stay
to resume = reprendre résumer = to summarise
sensible = raisonnable sensible = sensitive
a souvenir = un souvenir (object de vacances etc.) un souvenir (mémoire d’un événément) = a memory
a stage = une scène ou une étape un stage = a course, an internship etc.
a stranger = un inconnu un étranger = a foreigner (from another country)
sympathetic = compatissant sympathique = nice, pleasant, friendly
a vacancy = une place, une chambre libre, un poste vacant les vacances = a holiday, the holidays