This is a list of common false cognates and false friends between English and French. They therefore look similar but respectively either they do not actually come from the same root or they have different meanings, despite their similarities.
| French term | English translation | English term | French translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| actuel | current | actual | réel |
| actuellement | currently | actually | réellement |
| alliance | wedding ring | alliance | alliance |
| apologie | defence | apology | excuses |
| avocat | lawyer | avocado | avocat |
| avertir | warn | avert | éviter |
| anniversaire | birthday | anniversary | anniversaire |
| audition | the sense of hearing | audition | audition |
| assister à | to attend | assist | aider |
| assumer | to take responsibility | assume | supposer |
| attendre | to wait for | attend | assister à |
| baskets | sneakers | basket | panier |
| bite | dick | bite | bouchée |
| blesser | injure | bless | bénir |
| balancer | throw | balance | équilibrer |
| bougie | candle | bougie | bourgeois |
| bribes | bits | bribe | pot-de-vin |
| cave | cellar | cave | grotte |
| campagne | countryside | campaign | campagne |
| chance | luck | chance | occasion , chance |
| coin | corner | coin | pièce |
| collège | secondary school | college | établissement d' enseignement supérieur |
| célibataire | single (person) | celibate | chaste |
| cent | hundred | cent | cent , centime |
| comédien | actor | comedian | comique |
| courbature | ache | curvature | courbure |
| chair | flesh | chair | chaise |
| crayon | pencil | crayon | craie |
| chef | boss | chef | chef cuisinier (fr) |
| crier | yell | cry | pleurer |
| douche | shower | douche | salaud |
| décevoir | disappoint | deceive | tromper |
| déception | disappointment | deception | tromperie |
| délicieux | delightful | delicious | délicieux |
| demander | ask | demand | exiger |
| dérangé | bothered | deranged | dérangé |
| destitution | discharge , dismissal | destitution | misère extrême |
| décade | 10 days | decade | décennie |
| défendre | forbid | defend | défendre |
| déplacement | trip | displacement | déplacement |
| disposer | arrange | dispose of | se débarrasser de |
| engagement | commitment | engagement | fiançailles |
| éventuellement | possibly | eventually | finalement |
| empiré | gotten worse | empire | empire |
| essence | petrol | essence | essence |
| je suis excité | I'm aroused | I'm excited | je suis ravi de, j'ai vraiment/trop hâte |
| four | oven | four | quatre |
| flippant | surprising | flippant | désinvolte |
| fric | money | freak | original |
| fourniture | supply | furniture | meubles |
| générique | credits | generic | générique |
| ignorer | to not know | ignore | ignorer |
| isolation | insulation | isolation | isolement |
| inconvénient | drawback | inconvenient | incommode |
| indulgence | leniency | indulgence | gourmandise |
| infect | repulsive | infect | contaminer , infecter |
| inhabité | uninhabited | inhabited | habité |
| journal | newspaper | journal | journal intime |
| librairie | bookstore | library | bibliothèque |
| luxurieux | lustful | luxurious | de luxe |
| magasin | shop | magazine | revue , magazine |
| manifestation | a protest | manifestation | signe , manifestation |
| mamie | granny | mommy | maman |
| mannequin | model | mannequin | mannequin |
| mutation | transfer | mutation | mutation |
| nana | girlfriend | nana | mamie |
| parcours | route | parkour | parkour |
| passer un examen | take an exam | pass an exam | réussir |
| personne | nobody | person | personne |
| pile | battery | pile | tas |
| préservatif | condom | preservative | agent de conservation |
| préjudice | damage | prejudice | préjugé |
| pièce | room | piece | morceau |
| prétendre | to claim | pretend | simuler |
| rapport | connection | rapport | bons rapports |
| relevant | raising | relevant | pertinent |
| résumer | summarize | resume | reprendre |
| ressentir | feel | resent | en vouloir à |
| reporter | postpone | report | signaler |
| robe | dress | robe | peignoir |
| sensible | sensitive | sensible | raisonnable |
| serviette | towel | serviette | serviette de table (fr) |
| sanctionner | punish | sanction | autoriser |
| stores | blinds | stores | magasins |
| toboggan | slide | toboggan | luge |
| traiteur | caterer | traitor | traître |
| tampon | stamp | tampon | tampon |
| traîner | to drag | to train | s' entraîner |
| traînée | trail | trainee | stagiaire |
| travail | work | travel | voyage |
| ville | city , town | village | village |