False Friends: English & French
Words that look the same — but mean something completely different
From Sourov’s world: When I first arrived in La Réunion and began working on my French, my French wife Vanessa and I would laugh at my mistakes. But the funniest ones happened in English. I once told a French colleague to be more “sensible” about the staff roster — meaning practical and reasonable. She looked offended. In French, sensible means sensitive. Same spelling, completely different meaning. As someone who uses both English and French every day at C1 level, I’ve learned that these “false friends” are the most dangerous words in the language.
📚 Word Focus
False friends (also called faux amis) are words in two languages that look or sound similar but have different meanings. They cause errors even at high levels.
| English word | English meaning | French look-alike | French meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| sensible | practical, reasonable | sensible | sensitive |
| actually | in fact, in reality | actuellement | currently, at the moment |
| eventually | in the end, after a long time | éventuellement | possibly, perhaps |
| library | a place to borrow books | librairie | a bookshop |
| lecture | an academic talk or speech | lecture | reading |
CCQ: If I say “actually, I live in France” — does that mean I currently live there or surprisingly live there? ✅ In fact / surprisingly — it introduces a correction or contrast. It does NOT mean “currently” (that’s actuellement in French, or currently / at the moment in English).
💡 Examples in Context
- “Be sensible — don’t spend all your money on the first day.” ✅ (reasonable/practical)
- “I thought the meeting was at 9, but actually it’s at 10.” ✅ (in reality)
- “It rained for days, but eventually the sun came out.” ✅ (in the end)
- “I got this book from the library — it’s free to borrow!” ✅ (not a bookshop)
- “The professor gave an interesting lecture on climate change.” ✅ (a talk, not reading)
✏️ Quick Check
Each sentence below uses a false friend incorrectly. Correct the underlined word:
- I’m actually working on three different projects. (meant: at the moment)
- She’s very sensible — she cries at every sad film. (meant: sensitive)
- He will eventually come to the party — it depends. (meant: possibly)
- I bought this novel at the library near my house. (meant: bookshop)
Show answers ▼
- “I’m currently working on three different projects.”
- “She’s very sensitive — she cries at every sad film.”
- “He will possibly come to the party — it depends.”
- “I bought this novel at the bookshop near my house.”
🗣️ Try It Yourself
Think about your own native language (or another language you know). Can you find a false friend between it and English? Write the false friend pair and a sentence showing the correct English use. For French speakers especially: try sympathique, rester, or stage. Share your pair in the comments!
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