Top 10 'Faux Amis' That Cost You Points (And How to Avoid Them)

Published: January 9, 2026 | Category: Vocabulary | Read Time: 12 Mins

"Faux Amis" (False Friends) are the silent assassins of the TEF/TCF exam. Because French and English share 30-40% of their vocabulary history, it is tempting to just guess. "Actually" must be "Actuellement", right? Wrong.

When you misuse a False Friend in an exam:

1. You confuse the examiner. (Semantic Error).
2. You look like a beginner who translates directly from English rather than thinking in French.
3. You lose "Mastery" points.

Here are the Top 10 worst offenders that appear in immigration contexts, and what to use instead.

---

1. Actuellement vs Actually

• The Trap: You want to say "Actually, I disagree." You say "Actuellement, je ne suis pas d'accord."
• What you just said: "Currently (right now), I disagree." (Implies you might agree tomorrow).
• The Fix:
  • Actuellement = Currently / At the moment.
  • Actually / In fact = En fait, En réalité.

---

2. Assister vs Assist

• The Trap: You want to say "I helped (assisted) the client." You say "J'ai assisté le client."
• What you just said: "I watched the client." (Assister à = To attend/watch).
• The Fix:
  • Assister à = To attend (a meeting/concert).
  • Assist / Help = Aider.

---

3. Attendre vs Attend

• The Trap: You want to say "I attended the meeting." You say "J'ai attendu la réunion."
• What you just said: "I waited for the meeting."
• The Fix:
  • Attendre = To wait.
  • Attend = Assister à (See #2).

---

4. Journée vs Journey

• The Trap: You want to say "It was a long journey." You say "C'était une longue journée."
• What you just said: "It was a long day."
• The Fix:
  • Journée = Day (focused on duration/activity).
  • Journey / Trip = Trajet, Voyage.

---

5. Location vs Location

• The Trap: You want to say "This is a nice location." You say "C'est une belle location."
• What you just said: "This is a nice rental contract."
• The Fix:
  • Location = Rental (of a car/flat).
  • Location / Place = Endroit, Lieu, Emplacement.

---

6. Monnaie vs Money

• The Trap: You want to say "I don't have money." You say "Je n'ai pas de monnaie."
• What you just said: "I don't have change (coins)."
• The Fix:
  • Monnaie = Loose change / Currency.
  • Money = Argent.

---

7. Passer vs Pass (a test)

• The Trap: You want to say "I passed the test (succeeded)." You say "J'ai passé le test."
• What you just said: "I took/sat for the test." (Does not imply success).
• The Fix:
  • Passer un examen = To sit for an exam.
  • Pass / Succeed = Réussir un examen / Avoir son examen.

---

8. Rester vs Rest

• The Trap: You want to say "I need to rest." You say "J'ai besoin de rester."
• What you just said: "I need to stay."
• The Fix:
  • Rester = To stay.
  • Rest = Se reposer.

---

9. Supporter vs Support

• The Trap: You want to say "I support this political idea." You say "Je supporte cette idée."
• What you just said: "I endure/tolerate this idea (barely)." (Like supporting a heavy weight or pain).
• The Fix:
  • Supporter = To endure / To stand.
  • Support = Soutenir (an idea/person).

---

10. Visiter vs Visit

• The Trap: You want to say "I visited my parents." You say "J'ai visité mes parents."
• What you just said: You inspected your parents (like a building or museum).
• The Fix:
  • Visiter = To visit a place/monument.
  • Visit a person = Rendre visite à. (J'ai rendu visite à mes parents).

---

Conclusion

Memorize this list. If you use "En fait" instead of "Actuellement" during your Speaking Exam, you instantly sound 50% more fluent.

Test your Vocabulary with our Flashcards