French False Friends: The 25 Most Dangerous Words to Avoid

If you are preparing for the TEF, TCF, DELF, or DALF, you already know that vocabulary is a major part of your score. But there is a hidden trap that even advanced candidates fall into: false friends, or faux amis. These are French words that look or sound like English words but have a completely different meaning. Using one incorrectly in the writing or speaking section can cost you points on coherence, vocabulary precision, and even grammar if you misplace the word in a sentence. This article covers the 25 most dangerous French false friends for exam takers, with concrete examples, memory tricks, and practice steps to help you avoid losing points. After reading, you will be able to spot these traps instantly and use the correct word every time.

1. Actuellement vs. Actually

Actuellement means "currently" or "at the moment," not "actually." If you want to say "actually" (as in "in fact"), use en fait or à vrai dire.

2. Attendre vs. Attend

Attendre means "to wait," not "to attend." To say "attend" (a class, a meeting), use assister à.

• ❌ J'attends la réunion demain. (Wrong: "I am waiting for the meeting tomorrow.")

3. Blesser vs. Bless

Blesser means "to wound" or "to hurt" (physically or emotionally), not "to bless." To say "bless," use bénir.

• ❌ Le prêtre a blessé la foule. (Wrong: "The priest wounded the crowd.")

4. Caractère vs. Character

Caractère can mean "character" (personality), but it also means "temper" or "nature." More importantly, it does not mean "character" as in a person in a story — for that, use personnage.

• ❌ (Wrong: "The main character of the film is nice.")

5. Cave vs. Cave

Cave (feminine) means "cellar" or "basement," not a natural cave. For a natural cave, use grotte.

• ❌ Nous avons visité une cave magnifique dans les montagnes. (Wrong: "We visited a beautiful cellar in the mountains.")

6. Chair vs. Chair

Chair (feminine) means "flesh" or "meat" (as in human or animal tissue), not a piece of furniture. For a chair, use chaise.

• ❌ Asseyez-vous sur cette chair. (Wrong: "Sit on this flesh.")

7. Coin vs. Coin

Coin means "corner" (of a room, street), not a piece of money. For money, use pièce (coin) or monnaie (change).

8. Compréhensif vs. Comprehensive

Compréhensif means "understanding" (as in empathetic), not "comprehensive" (thorough). For "comprehensive," use exhaustif or complet.

9. Déception vs. Deception

Déception means "disappointment," not "deception" (which is tromperie or duperie).

• ❌ (Wrong: "It was a deception on his part." — sounds like disappointment)

10. Demander vs. Demand

Demander means "to ask" (a question) or "to request," not "to demand" (which is exiger).

• ❌ Je demande que vous partiez immédiatement. (Wrong: "I ask that you leave immediately." — too weak for demand)

11. Éventuellement vs. Eventually

Éventuellement means "possibly" or "if needed," not "eventually" (which is finalement or à la fin).

12. Figure vs. Figure

Figure (feminine) means "face," not a figure or number. For a figure (number), use chiffre; for a body shape, use silhouette.

13. Habit vs. Habit

Habit (masculine) means "outfit" or "clothing," not a routine behavior. For a habit (routine), use habitude.

• ❌ C'est un mauvais habit. (Wrong: "It's a bad outfit.")

14. Ignorer vs. Ignore

Ignorer means "to not know" or "to be unaware of," not "to ignore" (which is ne pas tenir compte de or faire semblant de ne pas voir).

15. Librairie vs. Library

Librairie means "bookstore," not "library" (which is bibliothèque).

• ❌ Je vais à la librairie pour emprunter un livre. (Wrong: "I go to the bookstore to borrow a book.")

16. Location vs. Location

Location means "rental" (the act of renting), not a place or position. For a place, use emplacement or lieu.

17. Monnaie vs. Money

Monnaie means "change" (coins) or "currency," not "money" in general (which is argent).

• ❌ J'ai besoin de monnaie pour acheter du pain. (Wrong: "I need change to buy bread." — correct if you mean coins, but not general money)

18. Passer un examen vs. Pass an exam

Passer un examen means "to take an exam," not "to pass an exam" (which is réussir un examen).

• ❌ J'ai passé mon examen de français. (Wrong: "I passed my French exam." — actually means "I took it")

19. Prétendre vs. Pretend

Prétendre means "to claim" or "to assert," not "to pretend" (which is faire semblant).

• ❌ Il prétend être malade. (Wrong: "He claims to be sick." — could be true)

20. Raison vs. Raisin

Raison means "reason," not a grape. For a grape, use raisin (masculine).

• ❌ J'aime les raisins secs. (Wrong: "I like dried reasons.")

21. Rester vs. Rest

Rester means "to stay" or "to remain," not "to rest" (which is se reposer).

• ❌ Je reste après le travail. (Wrong: "I stay after work." — not rest)

22. Sale vs. Sale

Sale (adjective) means "dirty," not a sale or discount. For a sale, use solde (masculine) or vente.

• ❌ C'est en sale. (Wrong: "It's on dirty.")

23. Sensible vs. Sensible

Sensible means "sensitive" (easily affected), not "sensible" (practical). For "sensible," use raisonnable or sensé.

24. Sympathique vs. Sympathetic

Sympathique means "nice" or "friendly," not "sympathetic" (which is compatissant).

• ❌ Il est très sympathique. (Wrong: "He is very sympathetic." — actually means "nice")

25. Travailler vs. Travel

Travailler means "to work," not "to travel" (which is voyager).

• ❌ Je travaille en France cet été. (Wrong: "I work in France this summer." — not travel)

Comparison Table: 10 Most Dangerous False Friends for Exam Takers

Practical Checklist: How to Avoid False Friends in Your Exam

FAQ: French False Friends

Q1: How many false friends are there in French?

There are hundreds, but the 25 in this article are the most common and most dangerous for exam takers. Focus on these first.

Q2: Will using a false friend automatically lower my score?

Not automatically, but it can affect your vocabulary precision score and, if the word is used in a key sentence, your coherence score. Examiners notice these errors.

Q3: How can I practice false friends for the TEF/TCF?

Use our to create custom flashcards. Also, practice with and that include these words.

Practice with PrepMyFrench

Now that you know the 25 most dangerous false friends, put your knowledge to the test. Use our vocabulary tools to drill these words with spaced repetition. Write practice essays using our writing practice feature and check for false friends. For speaking, record yourself using the words correctly with our speaking practice tool. Finally, review our guide on confusing French verbs to avoid similar traps, and explore our for advanced word choices.