One of the great things about learning French or English is that many words have the same roots in the Romance languages and English. However, there are also a great many faux amis, or false cognates, which look similar but have different meanings. This is one of the biggest pitfalls for students of French. There are also "semi-false cognates": words that can only sometimes be translated by the similar word in the other language.


This alphabetical list (newest additions) includes hundreds of French-English false cognates, with explanations of what each word means and how it can be correctly translated into the other language. To avoid confusion due to the fact that some of the words are identical in the two languages, the French word is followed by (F) and the English word is followed by (E).

Label (F) vs Label (E)

     Label (F) refers to an official label or certification, such as where a product comes from or a guarantee of its quality.
     Label (E) is a more general word for any kind of étiquette.

Lac (F) vs Lack (E)

     Lac (F) is a large body of water - lake.
     Lack (E) is a deficiency or absence - un manque.

Laid (F) vs Laid (E)

     Laid (F) is an adjective meaning ugly.
     Laid (E) is the past tense of the English verb to lay: he laid his briefcase on the table - il a posé son porte-documents sur la table, she was laid on the ground - elle était déposée au sol.

Lame (F) vs Lame (E)

     Lame (F) is a noun: strip (of wood or metal), slide (of a microscope), or blade.

     Lame (E) is an adjective: boiteux, estropié, faible.

Langage (F) vs Language (E)

     Langage (F) refers to jargon or other kinds of specialized language.
     Language (E) can refer both to le langage and to the more general term la langue.

Large (F) vs Large (E)

     Large (F) is the French adjective for wide, broad, or expansive. It can also mean generous or ample.
     Large (E) is synonomous with big - grand, vaste, gros, important.

Lecture (F) vs Lecture (E)

     Lecture (F) refers to reading in all senses of the word.
     Lecture (E) indicates a speech on a particular subject, especially for academic purposes: une conférence.

Legs (F) vs Leg (E)

     Legs (F) indicates a legacy or bequest.
     Leg (E) is the plural of leg - une jambe.

Légume (F) vs Legume (E)

     Légume (F) is a vegetable.
     Legume (E) is une légumineuse.

Lever/Lèvre (F) vs Lever (E)

     Lever (F) means to lift or raise. Une lèvre = lip.
     Lever (E) indicates un levier or une manette.

Libéral (F) vs Liberal (E)

     Libéral (F) in politics refers to the ideology of Libéralism, which, generally speaking, believes in individual rights, freedom of thought, limited power, rule of law, market-based policies, and transparent government. The market-based policies in particular tend to be favored by political parties on the right.
     Liberal (E) is more or less synonymous with Democratic in the US, which is on the left, politically.

Librairie (F) vs Library (E)

     Librairie (F) is a bookstore.
     Library (E) is une bibliothèque.

Lice (F) vs Lice (E)

     Lice (F) is fairly archaic; it refers to an arena (entrer en lice - to enter the competition lists) or a female hunting dog.
     Lice (E) is the plural of louse = un pou.

Licencier (F) vs License/Licence (E)

     Licencier (F) means to make redundant, dismiss, or lay off.
     License/Licence (E) is a verb: avoir une license pour or acheter la vignette de as well as a noun: un permis or une authorisation. Licence is the British spelling of the noun.

Lime (F) vs Lime (E)

     Lime (F) is a semi-false cognate. It can mean a lime or lime tree, but it more commonly refers to a file (metal or nail file).
     Lime (E) is un citron vert or, less commonly, une lime.

Limon (F) vs Lemon (E)

     Limon (F) refers to alluvium, silt, or stringboard.
     Lemon (E) = un citron.

Liqueur (F) vs Liquor (E)

     Liqueur (F) is a sweet, flavored alcoholic beverage: J'ai bu une liqueur après le dîner - I drank a cordial after dinner.
     Liquor (E) can mean any alcoholic beverage, but most often refers to hard liquor: Liquor is his only vice - L'alcool est son vice unique.

Lit (F) vs Lit (E)

     Lit (F) is a bed.
     Lit (E) is the past participle of to light: allumer or éclairer.

Littérature (F) vs Literature (E)

     Littérature (F) = literature, writing
     Literature (E) usually indicates la littérature, but can also refer to documentation or brochures (publicitaires).

Livide (F) vs Livid (E)

     Livide (F) = pallid.
     Livid (E) means blafard, vilain, furieux, or furibond.

Location (F) vs Location (E)

     Location (F) refers to something that is available for rent, such as a house or car. C'est pour un achat ou pour une location ? - Is it to buy or to rent?
     Location (E) indicates the position or placement of someone/something: It's a suitable location for a bakery - C'est une emplacement convenable à une boulangerie.

Logeur (F) vs Lodger (E)

     Logeur (F) is the landlord - the person who rents out rooms.
     Lodger (E) is the opposite - the person who rents/stays in the rooms: locataire, pensionnaire.

Losange (F) vs Lozenge (E)

     Losange (F) means diamond (in shape).
     Lozenge (E) is une pastille (pour la toux).

Lover (F) vs Lover (E)

     Lover (F) = to coil.
     Lover (E) = un/e amant/e.

Luxure (F) vs Luxury (E)

     Luxure (F) = lust.
     Luxury (E) = luxe.

Archives

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z