Faux amis (false friends)
Common mistakes French learners make — words that look English and are not.
A faux ami is a word that looks like an English word and means something else. They are the fastest way to say something you did not mean.
The ones that catch everybody
| French | Looks like | Actually means |
|---|---|---|
| actuellement | actually | currently, right now |
| éventuellement | eventually | possibly, if need be |
| sensible | sensible | sensitive |
| librairie | library | bookshop |
| journée | journey | day |
| préservatif | preservative | condom |
| assister à | assist | to attend |
| blesser | bless | to injure |
Why they matter more than ordinary mistakes
An ordinary mistake makes you sound like a learner. A faux ami makes you sound like you meant something else entirely — which is a different kind of awkward, and the reason this list is worth memorising early.
The good news is that there are not many of them, and they repeat. Learn this table and you have covered most of what you will meet before B1.