Common word english french

Even if you’re just starting to study French, believe it or not, you’ve already got a pretty extensive vocabulary! 

The reason for this is over 10,000 English words come from French. Many others come from Latin, the language from which French originated.

This means that a significant number of English words have either exact French counterparts or very similar equivalents in French.

That’s something to celebrate!  But, you might be wondering, just how did all of these French words get into English? How many French words are there in English? Let’s take a look at the French influence on the English language, and how it can help you with French vocabulary today!

When were French words borrowed into English?

In order to understand the way French influenced the English language, you have to know a little bit of history.

In antiquity, Celtic languages were spoken in the British Isles. Then, around 50 CE, most of the territory was invaded by the Romans. “Britannia” became a part of the Roman Empire, and Latin became the language of political and administrative life. 

In the 5^th  and 6^th centuries CE, Germanic tribes, including the Angles and the Saxons, invaded Britain, bringing their language with them.

But Latin remained a strong presence, since it was the language of the powerful and far-reaching Catholic Church (the Germanic tribes had quickly converted to Catholicism).

All religious services and texts were in Latin. This led to words commonly heard during masses and in religious parables becoming a part of everyday vocabulary. 

Some of the Latin words that began to infiltrate the language of British people at this time include “devil” (Latin: diabolus) and “angel” (Latin: angelus). 

Like its fellow Romance languages, French is a form of Vulgarized (that is, spoken by the people and influenced by previously existing local dialects) Latin. This is one of the reasons why there are so many similar words in French and Latin-influenced English. But it’s not the only reason why – not by far.

The main reason for the large number of French words in English can be chalked up to another invasion: the Norman Invasion of 1066, when William the Conqueror (Guillaume le Conquerant in French) staked his claim to the British throne and won it in the Battle of Hastings.

If you’re an art person, rather than a linguistics or history person, this battle may sound familiar – it’s immortalized on the Bayeux Tapestry. 

After William’s accession to the throne, the royal court was made up of Norman (from Normandy) nobility, who spoke French.

Old English and French coexisted, often quite separately, since most people in Britain never had contact with nobility.

But over time, French words began to creep into English.

These were mainly in areas like law, administration, and, unsurprisingly, food. For example, this excellent (and very funny) video about the history of English points out that while words like “pig” and “sheep” have Germanic roots, their food forms– “pork” (porc) and “mutton” (mouton) – come from French.

A few other French words that entered the English language in this era include sovereign (souverain), justice (justice), and counsel (conseil).

As the centuries went by, English continued to evolve, and and became recognized in its own right. It was used in the daily life of the upper classes and clergy, as well as the commoners. Latin did make a comeback, though. During the Renaissance, cultured people spoke it, and later, in the Age of Enlightenment, Latin was used again when classifying scientific discoveries and phenomena. 

Over the course of its tumultuous history, and English has borrowed from and been influenced by many different languages. But French and Latin have had the most influence. French and Latin words make up 58 % of modern English vocabulary today.  On their own, purely French words make up 29% of English. 

It’s generally thought that around 10,000 words have been borrowed into English from French. Of those, according to this source, there are over 1,700 “true cognates” – that is, words that not only look the same or similar, but have exactly the same meaning in both languages. 

Why is the French (and Latin) influence on English important to French learners?

Sure, etymology is fascinating, and sure, what you’ve just read might make for some fun party conversation (well, depending on what kind of parties you go to…). But is all of this really important? After all, even if you can speak English, that doesn’t mean you can speak French.  

But in fact, knowing this tie to French can help you. For one thing, you may have already experienced reading something in French and realizing that you understood more than you’d expected, because some of the words are the same in both languages.  And on an even more helpful scale, since certain lexical features like suffixes can be the same in French and English, you may be able to guess how to say certain French words.

Six suffixes that are the same in French and English

With that in mind, let’s look at six fairly common suffixes that are the same in both languages. 

Before we do that, though, remember that a suffix is an ending that gives a particular meaning when it’s tacked onto a word. For example, -ly is a suffix in English that indicates a word is an adjective or adverb (examples: lovely, quietly).

Like English, French has many suffixes. A number of these come from Latin. These include:

• -ation. Examples: nation/la nation ; information/l’information
• -tion. Examples: acceleration/l’accélération ; attention/attention
• -ssion. Examples: mission/une mission ; passion/la passion
• -able. Examples : capable/capable ; table/la table ; adorable/adorable
• -isme. Examples: Impressionism/l’impressionnisme ; racism/le racisme
• -if/ive. Examples: furtive/furtif/furtive; creative/créatif/créative

As you can see, not all of these words are identical down to the letter. But knowing that root words in both languages can have these suffixes added to them can be helpful, especially in French conversation. Personally, this rule was one of the things that made speaking French a lot easier for me. If I knew a word in English that had one of these suffixes, there was a good chance that it was the same or similar in French.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you’ll no longer have to memorize vocabulary for words with these endings. After all, there are some that don’t follow the rule. Take “vacation” – in French, it’s les vacances.  Still, these common suffixes are good to keep in mind.

French circumflex words and English

Unlike English, the French language involves a lot of diacritical marks. While most accents in French words are used to indicate things like pronunciation, verb tense, or gender, one of them, the circumflex, is basically just a historical marker.

Most French words that have a circumflex once had an “s” after the accented letter. So, for example, the word château was once chasteau. The word forêt was once forest. 

That “once” is a time when French words were being borrowed into English, and so, interestingly enough, many French circumflex words have English counterparts that are very similar, with an “s”. You may already know or have guessed the English equivalents of château and forêt, for example – castle and forest.  

(Before we continue, yes, I know château is also “chateau” in English, but that word has a very specific connotation and isn’t used as a general term the way château is in French.) 

As you can see with château/castle, not all French circumflex words have remained exactly the same in the two languages. And in some cases, like être , there’s no similar English word at all. So, while the tie between French circumflex words and English could be helpful to keep in mind in some cases (forêt/forest; hôtel/hotel; hôpital/hospital; théâtre/theatre, etc.), it isn’t a constant.

But for etymology fans like myself, it is a pretty neat tie to history, at the very least.  

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False cognates – and why they exist in the first place

Some English and French words are written the same way or very similarly but have evolved to have very different meanings. 

One of the most notorious of these faux amis is préservatif, which does not mean “preservative” in French, but…condom. Misusing this word is one of the most awkward French mistakes you can make! 

So, the moral here is to still learn your vocabulary. But if you’re in a bind, you have a good chance of being able to find an equivalent French word if it contains one of those six suffixes I mentioned, or is related to a French circumflex word.

You may be wondering why faux amis exist at all, since English borrowed words directly from French and Latin. The answer is, it’s simply because of how language evolves. Even in English itself, certain words have changed meaning over time or have additional connotations than they previously did. A very interesting example of this – in both languages – is the word “gay”.  

“Gay” was borrowed into English from the French gai (joyful, flashy).  Over the 20^th century, it came to have an additional meaning in English: homosexual. Today, this is the dominant connotation that comes to mind for most English-speakers. The English “gay” has been borrowed back into French, where it also means “homosexual.” The French word gai(e) still means “happy” in French, although some francophones, including those in Quebec, also use this spelling instead of “gay”.

One of the most important things that etymology can teach us is that words are always evolving. While they’re being spoken and used by human beings, languages are living things. Faux amis aside, that’s pretty cool.

French words that are the same in English

Still, there are many words in English and French that are the same or very similar, both in spelling and meaning. Here’s a list of some of the most common. If you want to go further, at the end of this article, you’ll find a link to an extremely long and thorough alphabetical list. 

French food and dining words that are the same in English

Many English food-related words originally came from French, but a majority of these have changed a bit over the centuries, to be pronounced and written in a more Anglophone way. 

A good example of this are the words derived from the French word and verb dîner, which include dinner, diner, and dinette, as well as the verb “to dine”. 

You’ll notice, first of all, that all of these words are pronounced differently than their French ancestors. You’ll also notice that their meanings have expanded from these two original borrowed words: “dinner” and “to dine” are the counterparts of le dîner and dîner, respectively, but a diner and dinette are types of restaurant.

Interestingly, “dinette” is also a French word, but it’ s a classic example of a faux ami.  In French, une dinette in French is a child’s tea party set or set of plastic food toys.  (It can also mean a light, late evening meal, although I’ve personally never heard it used that way, for what it’s worth.)

This being said, there are other French words related to food and dining whose meaning and spelling have remained more or less the same in French and English. A number of these were borrowed into English in recent centuries, when French cooking became a hallmark of class for Anglophones. 

Here are some of the most common food- and dining -related words that are the same (or extremely similar) in French and English:

• à la carte : when you want to order individual dishes which are not part of a pre-established sequence of courses.
• menu
• apéritif
• café (a type of restaurant)
• picnic 
• salade
• soupe
• omelette
• bon appétit
• hors d’œuvre
• vinaigrette
• restaurant
• alcool (This word was originally borrowed into French from Arabic, by way of Latin)
• chef (This means boss in French and not only “cook”.)

British English speakers also often use some common French food words, including: 

• cornichon
• gateau
• courgette
• aubergine

French fashion and appearance words that are the same or similar in English

Every culture has its trends, fashions, and notions of beauty, but France has an international reputation for expertise in this area. It’s no wonder, then, that so many French words related to fashion and appearance have been borrowed into English. Here’s a list of some of the most common -including one that’s a very recent addition to the English language:

• prêt-à-porter
• chic
• couture
• silhouette
• petite
• faux (usually used to describe synthetic fur (faux fur), as opposed to fur from an animal)
• sans fard – If you’re a fan of pop culture and celebrity gossip, you’ve probably come across this term in recent years. “Sans fard” (sometimes written “sans fards”) means “without makeup” and describes a photo where a person is wearing no makeup, and may not even be groomed in a glamorous way (for example, unbrushed hair, etc.). Of course, sans fard photos aren’t always truthful – many celebrities have been called out for abusing the term, since they are wearing at least very basic makeup and have their hair done in the shot.

French art and culture words that are the same or similar in English

Here are some French words that you’ll often hear or come across (or use) in English. 

• Art Nouveau 
• avant-garde
• bas-relief
• film noir
• matinee (Note that in French, this word is most commonly used as a way to say “morning”.)
• papier mâché (For many English speakers, this is written slightly differently: papier mache)
• trompe l’oeil

In addition to artistic movements like Art Nouveau and Art Deco, which keep their French names in English,  many artistic movements are written in a similar way in French and English. One of the main reasons for this is the suffix -ism/-isme.  Here are a few examples:

• Impressionism/impressionnisme
• Realism/réalisme
• Surrealism/surréalisme
• Cubism/cubisme

You can find many other French words related to culture and the arts, including classical dance-related vocabulary on this excellent and extensive list.  

Other common French words used in English

Some French words we use in English, like repertoire and protégé, don’t have exactly the same meaning in both languages – or at least, not the same primary meaning. For example, répertoire in French is most commonly used to describe a list of phone numbers; protégé means “protected” in French).  But many other French words in English are used the same way in French, more or less. Here are some of them:

• bourgeois
• brunette
• blond(e)
• adieu
• au contraire
• chauffeur
• chic
• critique
• depot
• déjà vu
• (eau de) cologne
• eau de toilette
• en route
• entrepreneur
• fiancé (Note that while in English, this can refer to a man or a woman, in French, a female person someone is engaged to is fiancée, the word’s feminine form.)
• genre
• laissez-faire
• maître d’ (this is used in its complete form, maître d’hôtel, in French)
• joie de vivre
• toilette
• nouveau riche
• faux pas
• je ne sais quoi
• carte blanche
• voyeur
• R.S.V.P (Many English-speakers don’t realize this is an abbreviation of Répondez s’il vous plait)
• souvenir
• par excellence
• potpourri
• Bon voyage (learn more here)
• cliché (Note that in French, in addition to its most well-known meaning, cliché is another way to say “photo”)
• au pair
• femme fatale
• bouquet
• boutique
• coup
• milieu 
• ménage à trois
• bon vivant
• bon mot
• coup d’état
• de rigueur
• savoir-faire
• tête à tête
• Voila (I usually see the word written without an accent in English, but remember that it’s actually written like this in French: Voilà).
• du jour

These are just the most common French words used in English, but there are many more, especially if you’re watching or reading something featuring educated, possibly pretentious characters – or spending time with them in real life.  You can find a more extensive list of French words and expressions in English here. 

The three kinds of French words in English – and where to find them all

The words on our lists are among the most noticeable French words in English, because they haven’t changed (or haven’t changed much) from their original spellings and meanings. But what about the thousands of other French words that are supposed to make up the English language?

Since most of these words have evolved over the centuries, they may still be very similar to their French ancestors, or quite a bit different. Take, for example, one of my favorite English words, “jaunty”, which evolved in both spelling and meaning from the French word gentil. 

You can find an alphabetical list of French words in English, including these original borrowings that have evolved away from their French forms, here.  

And of course, don’t forget the English words that have a counterpart in French thanks to Latin. You can see some of those on this list. 

Do you have a favorite French word or expression that’s used in English? Are there any words these lists that surprised you? If so, why not try to use them today?

You’re probably aware that we regularly use plenty of French words in English.

But did you know that English is so close to the French language, that around 30% of English words come from the language of love?

Some of these French phrases in English (otherwise known as cognates!) are borrowed directly from the French language, while others have evolved from French origins.

We’ve put together some responses to some of the most common questions about the French presence in the English language for you, plus 99 examples of how English words didn’t fall too far from the French tree. 

Everything you’ve ever wanted, right?

Why are there French words in the English language?

The origin of the English language is a topic linguists love to debate.

Although English is a Germanic language, it shares a lot of vocabulary with French – a Romance language.

But why?

The Norman Conquest of 1066 was a key event that led to French words being used in England.

Following the conquest, England was ruled by the Normans who spoke a northern form of Old French called Anglo-Norman French.

Under Norman rule, Anglo-Norman French began to influence the language of administration, law and culture in England, and hence making its mark on the English language.

Since then, French phrases and words – funny quirks and all – continued to make their way into the English language.

And French isn’t the only language that has made its mark on the English language. There are plenty of Spanish words in English, and a good handful of Japanese words in English, too.

How many French words are there in English? 

There exists around 7,000 French words in the English language at present.

Believe it or not, though, there were plenty more English words that came from French (and typically Latin) roots originally – around 10,000, to be exact.

Do any examples come to mind? At this point, I’m sure you’re desperate to see some examples of English words with French origins… 

Let’s start with 99 (we thought any more might be a bit much!).

Here are 99 common French words used in English, and their meaning

1. Allowance – from the Old French word alouance (payment)
2. Apostrophe – from the French word apostrophe
3. Attaché – from the French word attaché (attached)
4. Apéritif – from the French word apéritif 
5. Avant-garde – from the French word avant-garde
6. Aviation – from the French word aviation
7. Bachelor – from the Anglo-Norman word bacheler (bachelier in modern French)
8. Baguette – from the French word baguette (stick)
9. Ballet – from the French word ballet
10. Beret – from the French word béret
11. Bon voyage – from the French phrase bon voyage (have a good journey)
12. Brunette – from the French word brunette
13. Bureau – from the French word bureau (desk, office)
14. Cabaret – from the French word cabaret
15. Cadet – from the French word cadet
16. Champagne – from the French word champagne
17. Chauffeur – from the French word chauffeur
18. Chic – from the French word chic (elegant)
19. Cliché – from the French word cliché
20. Connoisseur – from the French word connoisseur
21. Cul-de-sac – from the French word cul-de-sac (bottom of the bag/sack)
22. Debris – from the French word débris (broken, crumbled)
23. Déjà vu – from the French words déjà (already) and vu (seen – past participle of ‘voir’)
24. Delegate – from the Old French word delegat
25. Detour – from the French word détour (from détourner)
26. Dossier – from the French word dossier
27. Eau de toilette – from the French word eau de toilette
28. Elite – from the Old French word elit (chosen)
29. Energy – from the Middle French word énergie
30. En route – from the French en route
31. Envisage – from the French word envisager
32. Expatriate – from the French word expatrier
33. Facade – from the French word façade
34. Faux, as in faux fur – from the French word faux (false)
35. Faux-pas – from the French word faux pas
36. Fiancé – from the French word fiancé
37. Film noir – from the French word film noir (a film genre)
38. Gallery – from the Old French word galerie
39. Gastronomy – from the French word gastronomie
40. Gateau – from the French word gâteau
41. Gazette – from the French word gazette
42. Heritage – from the Old French word eritage (héritage in modern French)
43. Homage – from the Old French word homage
44. Hotel – from the French word hôtel
45. Identity – from the Middle French word identité
46. Illusion – from the Old French word illusion
47. Insult – from the Middle French words insult (noun) and insulter (verb)
48. Irony – from the Middle French word ironie
49. Jubilee – from the Middle French word jubile (modern French jubilé)
50. Kilogram – from the French word kilogramme
51. Lacrosse – from the Canadian French word la crosse (the stick)
52. Laissez-faire – from the French word laissez-faire (leave things to take their course)
53. Liaison – from the French word liaison
54. Literature – from the Old French word littérature
55. Machine – from the Middle French word machine
56. Magnificent – from the Middle French word magnificent
57. Maisonette – from the French word maisonette
58. Massage – from the French word massage
59. Menu – from the French word menu
60. Metabolism – from the French word métabolisme
61. Metro – from the French word métro
62. Musketeer – from the French word mousquetaire
63. Navy – from the Old French word navie
64. Neutral – from the Middle French word neutral
65. Nocturnal – from the Middle French word nocturnal
66. Novel – from the Old French word novel
67. Occasion – from the Middle French word occasion
68. Omelette – from the French word omelette
69. Optimism – from the French word optimisme
70. Papier-mâché – from the French word papier-mâché
71. Parasol – from the French word parasol
72. Poetic – from the Middle French word poétique
73. Premiere – from the French word première
74. Purify – from the Old French word purifier
75. Recipient – from the Middle French word récipient
76. Rendez-vous – from the French word rendez-vous (appointment)
77. Reservoir – from the French word ‘réservoir’ (collection place)
78. Restaurant – from the French word restaurant
79. Ricochet – from the French word ricochet
80. Rich – from the French word riche
81. Ridicule – from the French word ridicule
82. Risqué – from the French word risqué
83. Sabotage – from the French word sabotage
84. Salad – from the French word salade
85. Sentiment – from the Old French word sentement
86. Silhouette – from the French word silhouette 
87. Solicitor – from the Middle French word soliciteur
88. Souvenir – from the French word souvenir (memory)
89. Soufflé – from the French word soufflé
90. Soup – from the French word soupe
91. Technique – from the French word technique
92. Television – from the French word télévision
93. Tournament – from the Old French word tornoiement (tournoiement in modern French)
94. Uniform – from the Middle French word uniforme
95. Utensil – from the Old French word utensile
96. Valid – from the Middle French word valide
97. Variety – from the Middle French word varieté
98. Vinaigrette – from the French word vinaigrette
99. Zest – from the French word zeste

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Guess the origin 🇬🇧-🇫🇷

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If you’re an English speaker and you ever thought French was difficult (or a French speaker and ever thought English was difficult!) hopefully, this is something to reassure you: no matter whether you’ve got your French pronunciation accent down or not, the learning process may be easier than you think!

You already have a good understanding of so many French words – why not learn even more today?

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A great number of words of French origin have entered the English language to the extent that many Latin words have come to the English language. 45% of all English words have a French origin.^{[1][verification needed][better source needed]} This suggests that 80,000 words should appear in this list; this list, however, only includes words imported directly from French, such as both joy and joyous, and does not include derivatives formed in English of words borrowed from French, including joyful, joyfulness, partisanship, and parenthood. It also excludes both combinations of words of French origin with words whose origin is a language other than French — e.g., ice cream, sunray, jellyfish, killjoy, lifeguard, and passageway— and English-made combinations of words of French origin — e.g., grapefruit (grape + fruit), layperson (lay + person), mailorder, magpie, marketplace, surrender, petticoat, and straitjacket. This list also excludes words that come from French but were introduced into the English language via a language other than French, which include commodore, domineer, filibuster, ketone, loggia, lotto, mariachi, monsignor, oboe, paella, panzer, picayune, ranch, vendue, and veneer.

English words of French origin can also be distinguished from French words and expressions used by English speakers.

Although French is derived mainly from Latin (which accounts for about 60% of English vocabulary either directly or via a Romance language), it also includes words from Gaulish and Germanic languages (especially Old Frankish). Since English is of Germanic origin, words that have entered English from the Germanic elements in French might not strike the eye as distinctively from French. Conversely, as Latin gave many derivatives to both the English and the French languages, ascertaining that a given Latinate derivative did not come to the English language via French can be difficult in a few cases.

Historical context[edit]

Most of the French vocabulary now appearing in English was imported over the centuries following the Norman Conquest of 1066, when England came under the administration of Norman-speaking peoples. William the Conqueror invaded the British Isles, distributing lands and property to Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French soldiers. As a result, Old French became the language of culture and the administration, evolving into Anglo-Norman French. The majority of the population of England continued to use their Anglo-Saxon language, but it was influenced by the language of the ruling elite, resulting in doublets. Consider for example the words for the meats eaten by the Anglo-Norman nobility and the corresponding animals raised by the Anglo-Saxon peasants: beef/ox, mutton/sheep, veal/calf, pork/pig, or pairs of words pertaining to different registers of language: commence/start, commerce/trade, continue/go on, depart/leave, disengage/withdraw, encounter/meet, maintain/uphold, marry/wed, menace/threat, purchase/buy, revenue/income, vend/sell. Words of French origin often refer to more abstract or elaborate notions than their Anglo-Saxon equivalents (e.g. liberty/freedom, justice/fairness), and are therefore of less frequent use in everyday language. This may not, however, be the case for all English words of French origin. Consider, for example, some of the most common words in English: able, car, chair, city, country, different, fine, fruit, journey, juice, just, part, people, person, place, real, stay, table, travel, use, very, and wait.

After the rise of Henry Plantagenet to the throne of England, other forms of dialectal French may have gained in influence to the detriment of Anglo-Norman French (notably the variants of Anjou where the House of Plantagenet came from, and possibly Poitevin, the tongue of Eleanor of Aquitaine). With the English claim to the throne of France, the influence of the language in use at the royal court of France in Paris increased. The cultural influence of France remained strong in the following centuries and from the Renaissance onward borrowings were mainly made from Parisian French, which became the de facto standard language of France.

Notable fields of French influence[edit]

Feudalism[edit]

Norman rule of England had a lasting impact on British society. Words from Anglo-Norman or Old French include terms related to chivalry (homage, liege, peasant, seigniorage, suzerain, vassal, villain) and other institutions (bailiff, chancellor, council, government, mayor, minister, parliament), the organisation of religion (abbey, clergy, cloister, diocese, friar, mass, parish, prayer, preach, priest, sacristy, vestment, vestry, vicar), the nobility (baron, count, dame, duke, marquis, prince, sir), and the art of war (armour, baldric, dungeon, hauberk, mail, portcullis, rampart, surcoat). Many of these words related to the feudal system or medieval warfare have a Germanic origin (mainly through Old Frankish) (see also French words of Germanic origin).

The Norman origin of the British monarchy is still visible in expressions like Prince Regent, heir apparent, Princess Royal where the adjective is placed after the noun, like in French.

Heraldry[edit]

The vocabulary of heraldry has been heavily influenced by French (blazon, or, argent, sable, gules, passant), for more details see tinctures, attitudes, and charges of heraldry.

Sometimes used in heraldry, some mythological beasts (cockatrice, dragon, griffin, hippogriff, phoenix) or exotic animals (lion, leopard, antelope, gazelle, giraffe, camel, zebu, elephant, baboon, macaque, mouflon, dolphin, ocelot, ostrich, chameleon) draw their name from French. It is also the case of some animals native of Europe (via Anglo-Norman: eagle, buzzard, falcon, squirrel, coney, rabbit, leveret, lizard, marten, ferret, salmon, viper).

Military[edit]

The vocabulary of warfare and the military include many words and expressions of French origin (accoutrements, aide-de-camp, army, artillery, battalion, bivouac, brigade, camouflage, carabineer, cavalry, cordon sanitaire, corps, corvette, dragoon, espionage, esprit de corps, état major, fusilier, grenadier, guard, hors-de-combat, infantry, latrine, legionnaire, logistics, matériel, marine, morale, musketeer, officer, pistol, platoon, reconnaissance/reconnoitre, regiment, rendezvous, siege, soldier, sortie, squad, squadron, surrender, surveillance, terrain, troop, volley). This includes military ranks: admiral, captain, colonel, corporal, general, lieutenant, sergeant. Many fencing terms are also from French.

Politics and economics[edit]

The political/economic lexicon include many words of French origin like money, treasury, exchequer, commerce, finance, tax, liberalism, capitalism, materialism, nationalism, plebiscite, coup d’état, regime, sovereignty, state, administration, federal, bureaucracy, constitution, jurisdiction, district.

Law[edit]

The judicial lexicon has also been heavily influenced by French (justice, judge, jury, attorney, court, case).

Diplomacy[edit]

attaché, chargé d’affaires, envoy, embassy, chancery, diplomacy, démarche, communiqué, aide-mémoire, détente, entente, rapprochement, accord, treaty, alliance, passport, protocol.

Arts[edit]

art, music, dance, theatre, author, stage, paint, canvas, perform, harmony, melody, rhythm, trumpet, note, director, gallery, portrait, brush, pallet, montage, surrealism, impressionism, fauvism, cubism, symbolism, art nouveau, gouache, aquarelle, collage, render, frieze, grisaille.

Architecture[edit]

aisle, arcade, arch, vault, voussoir, belfry, arc-boutant, buttress, bay, lintel, estrade, facade, balustrade, terrace, lunette, niche, pavilion, pilaster, porte cochère.

Aviation and automobile engineering[edit]

France played a pioneering role in the fields of aviation (nacelle, empennage, fuselage, aileron, altimeter, canard, decalage, monocoque, turbine) and automobile engineering or design (chassis, piston, arbor, grille, tonneau, berline, sedan, limousine, cabriolet, coupé, convertible).

Cuisine[edit]

baba au rhum, beef, beef bourguignon, boudin, caramel, casserole, cassoulet, clafoutis, confit, consommé, cream, croissant, custard, filet mignon, fillet, foie gras, flognarde, fondant, fondue, gateau, gratin, madeleine, marmalade, mayonnaise, meringue, mille-feuille, mustard, mutton, navarin, pâté, pastry, petit four, pork, porridge, potage, pudding, puree, ragout, ratatouille, roux, salad, sauce, sausage, soufflé, soup, stew, terrine, trifle, veal, vol-au-vent.

Colours and Other Influences[edit]

Other influences include the names of colours (ecru, mauve, beige, carmine, maroon, blue, orange, violet, vermilion, turquoise, lilac, perse, scarlet, cerise), vegetables or fruits (courgette, aubergine, cabbage, carrot, cherry, chestnut, cucumber, nutmeg, quince, spinach, lemon, orange, apricot), and months of the year (January, March, May, July, November, December).

Terms coined by French people[edit]

Some of the French words that made their way into the English language were coined by French speaking inventors, discoverers or pioneers, or scientists: cinema, television, helicopter, parachute, harmonium, bathyscaphe, lactose, lecithin, bacteriophage, chlorophyll, mastodon, pterodactyl, oxide, oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, photography, stethoscope, thermometer, stratosphere, troposphere.

Named after French people[edit]

Some French words were named after French people (from their family name), especially in the fields of science (ampere, appertisation, baud, becquerel, braille, coulomb, curie, daguerreotype, pascal, pasteurise, vernier), botany and mineralogy (begonia, bougainvillea, clementine, magnolia, dolomite, nicotine), fashion and style or any other cultural aspect (lavalier, leotard, recamier, mansard, chauvinism, kir, praline, saxophone, silhouette, guillotine).

Proper names[edit]

The names of certain cities in non-francophone regions/countries entered English with French spelling (Louisville, Constance, Ypres, Bruges, Louvain, Turin, Milan, Plaisance, Florence, Rome, Naples, Syracuse, Vienna, Prague, Munich, Cologne, Aix-la-Chapelle, Seville, Constantinople).

In North America, the names of some of the Native American peoples or First Nations the French came in contact with first are from French (Sioux, Saulteaux, Iroquois, Nez Perce, Huron, Cheyenne, Algonquin). It is also the case of some place names such as Canada, Arkansas, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Vermont, Baton Rouge, Boise, Chicago, Des Moines, Detroit.

Main patterns of influence[edit]

Some words from Old French have been imported again from Middle French or Modern French, but have generally taken a more restrictive or specialised meaning the second time. Consider for instance these doublets : chair/chaise, chief/chef, luminary/luminaire, liquor/liqueur, castle/château, hostel/hotel, mask/masque, necessary/nécessaire, petty/petit, ticket/etiquette, troop/troupe, vanguard/avant-garde. Note that the word in French has kept the general meaning: e.g. château in French means «castle» and chef means «chief». Even when not imported several times in different forms, loanwords from French generally have a more restrictive or specialised meaning than in French: e.g. legume (in Fr. légume means «vegetable»), gateau (in Fr. gâteau means «cake»).

In some cases, the English language has been more conservative than the French one with Old French words, at least in spelling if not in pronunciation: e.g. apostle (O.Fr. apostle / M.Fr. apôtre), castle (O.Fr. castel or chastel / M.Fr. château), forest (O.Fr. forest / M.Fr. forêt), vessel (O.Fr. vaissel / M.Fr. vaisseau). Other Old French words have even disappeared from Modern French: dandelion.

On the other hand, a move to restore the classical roots (Latin or Ancient Greek) occurred in the 16th and 17th centuries. Thus words from Old French saw their spelling re-Latinized. Although in most cases this did not affect their pronunciation (e.g. debt, doubt, indict, mayor), in some cases it did (e.g. abnormal, adventure, benefit). The ph transcription of words of Greek etymology was restored instead of the f. Thus fantosme became phantom, fesan became pheasant. This move occurred also in French, although less systematically: Old French farmacie became pharmacie («pharmacy»), fenix became phénix («phoenix»), but fantosme became fantôme («phantom, ghost») and fesan became faisan («pheasant»).

Beside re-Latinization that blurred the French origin of some words (e.g. peradventure), other modifications in spelling have included folk etymology alterations (e.g. andiron, belfry, crayfish, female, gillyflower, gingerbread, penthouse, pickaxe, pulley).

Furthermore, the spelling of some words was changed to keep the pronunciation as close to the original as possible (e.g. leaven), whereas in other cases the French spelling was kept and resulted in totally different pronunciation than French (e.g. leopard, levee).^[2] Terms that most recently entered the English language have kept French pronunciation and spelling (ambiance, aplomb, arbitrage, armoire, atelier, barrage, bonhomie, bourgeoisie, brochure, bureau, café, camaraderie, catalogue, chandelier, chauffeur, coiffure, collage, cortège, crèche, critique, debris, décor, dénouement, depot, dossier, élite, entourage, ennui, entrepreneur, espionage, expertise, exposé, financier, garage, genre, glacier, intrigue, liaison, lingerie, machine, massage, millionaire, mirage, montage, panache, penchant, personnel, plaque, promenade, rapport, repertoire, reservoir, routine, sabotage, sachet, souvenir, tableau, terrain, tranche), though this may change with time (e.g. the initial h in hotel is not silent anymore, consider also the evolving pronunciation of herb, or garage). Expressions like femme fatale, faux pas, haute couture, bête noire and enfant terrible are still recognisably French.

Borrowings are not a one-way process (See Reborrowing), some words of French origin ultimately come from Old English (Anglo-Saxon words): e.g. bateau, chiffon, gourmet. While conversely English words of French origin made their way «back» into Modern French: budget, challenge, design, discount, establishment, express, fuel, gay, gin, humour, interview, jury, management, mess, pedigree, rave, record, reporter, spleen, sport, squat, standard, suspense, tennis, ticket, toast, toboggan, tunnel, vintage.

A–C[edit]

D–I[edit]

J–R[edit]

S–Z[edit]

See also[edit]

• Influence of French on English
• Glossary of French words and expressions in English
• Law French
• Glossary of fencing (predominantly from French)
• Glossary of ballet (predominantly from French)
• Lists of English loanwords by country or language of origin
• List of English words of Gaulish origin
• List of English words of Latin origin
• List of English Latinates of Germanic origin
• Latin influence in English
• List of French words of Germanic origin
• List of French words of Gaulish origin
• List of French words of Arabic origin
• List of French words of English origin
• List of German words of French origin

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Online Etymology Dictionary
• Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales (in French)

à gogo In abundance à la […] In the manner of/in the style of […] à la carte Literally – on the menu; in restaurants it refers to ordering individual dishes rather than a fixed-price meal à la mode Idiomatic: in the style; in the United States, the phrase is used to describe a dessert with an accompanying scoop of ice cream (example: apple pie à la mode).However, in French, it is a culinary term usually meaning cooked with ale and some carrots and onions (example: boeuf à la mode) Adieu Farewell; literally means “to God,” it carries more weight than “au revoir” (“goodbye,” literally “Until re-seeing”); it is definitive, implying you will never see the other person again; depending on the context, misuse of this term can be considered as an insult, as one may wish for the other person’s death or say that you do not wish to see the other person ever again while alive Adroit Dexterous, skilful, clever, in French: habile, as a “right-handed” person would be using his “right” hand, as opposed to his left one with which he would be “gauche” meaning “clumsy” Aide-mémoire “Memory aid”; an object or memorandum to assist in remembrance, or a diplomatic paper proposing the major points of discussion Aperitif A before-meal drink (in colloquial French, it is shortened as “apéro”). In French, it means either the drink or food (amuse-gueules) taken before a meal Armoire Type of cabinet; wardrobe Art nouveau A style of decoration and architecture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It takes a capital in French (Art nouveau) Attaché A person attached to an embassy; in French it is also the past participle of the verb attacher (= to fasten, to tighten, to be linked) Au contraire On the contrary Au fait Being conversant in or with, or instructed in or with Au pair A young foreigner who does domestic chores in exchange for room and board. Avant-garde Applied to cutting-edge or radically innovative movements in art, music and literature; figuratively “on the edge,” literally, a military term, meaning “vanguard” (which is a corruption of avant-garde) or “advance guard,” in other words, “first to attack” (antonym of arrière-garde)

Debacle An event or enterprise that ends suddenly and disastrously, often with humiliating consequences. De rigueur Required or expected, especially in fashion or etiquette Décolleté A woman’s garment with a low-cut neckline that exposes cleavage, or a situation in which a woman’s chest or cleavage is exposed; décolletage is dealt with below. Décor The layout and furnishing of a room Decoupage Decoration with cut paper Depot A deposit (as in geology or banking), a storehouse, or a transportation hub (bus depot) Déjà vu “Already seen”: an impression or illusion of having seen or experienced something before. Derrière Rear; buttocks; literally “behind” Détente Easing of diplomatic tension Dieu et mon droit Motto of the British Monarchy; appears on a scroll beneath the shield of the coat of arms of Great Britain Divertissement An amusing diversion; entertainment Dossier A file containing detailed information about a person; it has a much wider meaning in modern French, as any type of file, or even a computer directory Doyen The senior member of a group; the feminine is doyenne Dressage A form of competitive horse training, in French has the broader meaning of taming any kind of animal Droit du seigneur “Right of the lord”: the purported right of a lord in feudal times to take the virginity of one of his vassals’ brides on her wedding night (in precedence to her new husband) E Eau de Cologne A type of perfume, originating in Cologne, Germany; its Italian creator used a French name to commercialize it, Cologne at that time being under the control of France. Eau de toilette Literally “grooming water.” It usually refers to an aromatic product that is less expensive than a perfume because it has less of the aromatic compounds and is more for an everyday use. Éclair A cream and chocolate icing pastry Élan A distinctive flair or style En garde “[Be] on [your] guard,” used in fencing, and sometimes mistranscribed as “on guard” En route On the way Enfant terrible A disruptively unconventional person, a “terrible child” Entente diplomatic A agreement or cooperation. L’Entente cordiale (the Cordial Entente) refers to the good diplomatic relationship between France and United Kingdom before the first World War. Entrepreneur A person who undertakes and operates a new enterprise or venture and assumes some accountability for the inherent risks F Façade The front view of an edifice (from the Italian facciata, or face); a fake persona, as in “putting on a façade” (the ç is pronounced like an s) fait accompli Literally – accomplished fact; something that has already happened and is thus unlikely to be reversed, a done deal Faux pas “False step”: violation of accepted, although unwritten, social rules Femme fatale “Deadly woman”: an attractive woman who seduces and takes advantage of men for her personal goals, after which she discards or abandons them; extends to describe an attractive woman with whom a relationship is likely to result, or has already resulted, in pain and sorrow Fiancé Betrothed; a man/woman engaged to be married. Film noir A genre of dark-themed movies from the 1940s and 1950s that focus on stories of crime and immorality Flambé A cooking procedure in which alcohol (ethanol) is added to a hot pan to create a burst of flames, meaning “flamed” in French; also used colloquially in reference to something on fire or burned. Fleur-de-lis A stylized-flower heraldic device; the golden fleur-de-lis on an azure background were the arms of the French Kingdom (often spelled with the old French style as “fleur-de-lys”) Force majeure An overpowering and unforeseeable event, especially when talking about weather (often appears in insurance contracts) G Gaffe Blunder Gauche Tactless, does not mean “left-handed” (which translates in French as “gaucher”), but does mean “left” Genre A type or class, such as “the thriller genre” Grand Prix A type of motor racing, literally “Great Prize” Grenadier A specialized soldier, first established for the throwing of grenades and later as elite troops H haute couture “High sewing”: Paris-based custom-fitted clothing; trend-setting fashion haute cuisine Upmarket gastronomy; literally “high cooking.” Hauteur Arrogance; literally height hors d’œuvre “Outside the [main] work”: appetizer I Impasse Deadlock Insouciant/e Nonchalant man/woman Ingénu/e An innocent young man/woman, used particularly in reference to a theatrical stock character who is entirely virginal and wholesome; L’Ingénu is a famous novella written by Voltaire. J Jeu d’esprit “Play of spirit”; a witty, often light-hearted, comment or composition Joie de vivre “Joy of life/living” L Laissez-faire “Let do”; often used within the context of economic policy or political philosophy, meaning leaving alone, or non-interference Lamé A type of fabric woven or knit with metallic yarns Lèse majesté An offense against a sovereign power; or, an attack against someone’s dignity or against a custom or institution held sacred Liaison A close relationship or connection; an affair. The French meaning is broader; “liaison” also means bond such as in “une liaison chimique” (a chemical bond) Louche Of questionable taste; M Macramé Coarse lace work made with knotted cords Mademoiselle Young unmarried lady, miss; literally “my noble young lady” Malaise A general sense of depression or unease Mardi gras Fat Tuesday, the last day of eating meat before Lent Mélange A mixture Mêlée A confused fight; a struggling crowd ménage à trois “Household for three”: a sexual arrangement between three people Milieu Social environment; setting (has also the meaning of “middle” in French) Montage Editing Motif A recurrent thematic element Mousse A whipped dessert or a hairstyling foam; in French, means any type of foam N Né, née “Born”: a man’s/woman’s birth name (maiden name for a woman), e.g., “Elizabeth Burton, née Taylor” Noblesse oblige “Nobility obliges”; those granted a higher station in life have a duty to extend (possibly token) favours/courtesies to those in lower stations Nom de plume Author’s pseudonym, literally “pen name; ” Originally an English phrase, now also used in France Nouveau riche Newly rich, used in English to refer particularly to those living a garish lifestyle with their newfound wealth Nouvelle cuisine New cuisine O Objet d’art A work of art, commonly a painting or sculpture; also a utilitarian object displayed for its aesthetic qualities Omelette Omelette P Panache Verve; flamboyance Papier-mâché Literally chewed paper; a craft medium using paper and paste Par excellence “By excellence”: quintessential Pastiche A derivative work; an imitation Patois A dialect; jargon Pince-nez Literally “pinch nose,” a type of spectacles without temple arms. Piste Refers to skiing Poseur “Poser”: a person who pretends to be something he is not; an affected or insincere person: a wannabe Prêt-à-porter “Ready to wear” (clothing off the shelf Protégé/e A man/woman who receives support from an influential mentor R Raison d’être “Reason for being”: justification or purpose of existence Rapport To be in someone’s “good graces”; French for: relationship Rapprochement The establishment of cordial relations, often used in diplomacy Reconnaissance Scouting Renaissance Rebirth, a cultural movement in the 14-17th centuries Reservoir An artificial lake Restaurateur Restaurant owner Retard Translates as late, but is used as a derogative term for someone who is a slow thinker Riposte A quick retort in speech or action, or in fencing, a quick thrust after parrying a lunge Role A part or function of a person in a situation or an actor in a play Roman à clef “Novel with a key”: an account of actual persons, places or events in fictional guise Roué An openly debauched, lecherous older man Roux Cooked mixture of flour and fat used as a base in soups and gravies S Sabotage Subversive destruction, from the practice of workers fearful of industrialization destroying machines by tossing their sabots (“wooden shoes”) into machinery Saboteur Person who commits sabotage Sacrebleu! “Holy Blue!” general exclamation of horror and shock; a stereotypical minced oath; very dated in France and rarely heard Sang-froid “Cold blood”: coolness and composure under strain; stiff upper lip Sauté Literally jumped; quickly fry in a small amount of oil Savant “Knowing”: a wise or learned person; in English, one exceptionally gifted in a narrow skill Savoir-faire Literally “know how to do”; to respond appropriately to any situation Silhouette Image of a person, an object or scene consisting of the outline and a featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black Sobriquet Assumed name, a nickname (often used in a pejorative way in French) soi-disant So-called; self-described; literally “oneself saying” soigné Fashionable; polished soirée Evening party sommelier Wine steward soupçon Very small amount (In French, can also mean suspicion) T Tableau Chalkboard; the meaning is broader in French: all types of board (chalkboard, whiteboard, notice board…); also refers to a painting or a table (chart). Tête-à-tête “Head to head”; an intimate get-together or private conversation between two people télévision telly Toilette Process of dressing or grooming. Also refers in French, when plural (“les toilettes”), to the toilet room Touché Acknowledgment of an effective counterpoint; literally “touched” or “hit!” trompe-l’œil Photograph-like realism in painting; literally “trick the eye” V venu/e Invited man/woman for a show, once (“come”); unused in modern French, though it can still be used in a few expressions like bienvenu/e (literally well come: welcome) or le premier venu (anyone; literally, the first who came) vin de pays Literally “country wine”; wine of a lower designated quality than appellation contrôlée vinaigrette Salad dressing of oil and vinegar; diminutive of vinaigre (vinegar) vis-à-vis “Face to face [with]”: in comparison with or in relation to; opposed to. From “vis” (conjugated form of “voir,” to see). In French, it’s also a real estate vocabulary word meaning that your windows and your neighbours’ are within sighting distance (more precisely, that you can see inside of their home) voilà! Literally “see there”; in French it can mean simply “there it is”; in English it is generally restricted to a triumphant revelation volte-face A complete reversal of opinion or position, about face voyeur Literally someone who sees; a peeping tom

Almost every language nowadays has some words that are borrowed from other languages. It’s fascinating how many languages still use those words in their original forms.

You already know that there are many French words in English that we use on a regular basis.

But, do you know which words exactly?

Today, there are around 10,000 French words that are still used in modern English. You probably know some of them already, but we’re sure that there’s a lot you haven’t heard of.

That’s why we decided to share with you 101 words that are used in English. 

But let’s start from the beginning by understanding how these two languages are connected and why their bond lasts to this date. 

French-English connections

We are going to tell you a short story about French and English connection.

The connection between France and England dates back from 1066 when William the Conqueror (Guillaume le Conquerant) took over the British throne. 

This is how French became the language of the Anglo-Norman court, the government, and the elite. It also started having a big influence on the administration, law, and culture.

French influence on the English language continued after the Hundred Year’s War.

Today, it is considered that there are around 45% of words in English that originate from the French language. 

French words in English with the same meaning

As you can see, these events in history are the reason French words are used in English today. 

There are, of course, other languages English has borrowed from, but French is the absolute winner with the coverage of about 58% of the English vocabulary. 

In the following paragraphs, you’ll find words that have the same meaning in both French and English and are used in the same situations. 

They are called cognates, or to be more specific,
French cognates.

Disclaimer: The first word is written in English and the second one in French. You will see how many of them are written in the same way.

Food-related words 

There are plenty of food-related English words that come from French. Over the centuries, they’ve changed a bit, getting English characteristics. 

You can find some of them below:

• A la carte — A la carte
• Apéritif – Apéritif 
• Aubergine — Aubergine
• Baguette – Baguette
• Café — Café
• Cornichon — Cornichon
• Champagne – Champagne
• Gastronomy – Gastronomie
• Gateau – Gâteau
• Menu – Menu
• Omelette – Omelette
• Picnic- Picnic
• Restaurant – Restaurant
• Salad – Salade
• Soufflé – Soufflé
• Soup – Soupe
• Vinaigrette – Vinaigrette

Fashion and appearance

It’s a known fact that France is the centre of fashion and style. Therefore, it’s not so strange that many words in English concerning fashion come from French.

Let’s take a look at some of them:

• Beret – Béret
• Boutique- Boutique
• Brunette – Brunette
• Chic – Chic meaning elegant
• Couture- Couture
• Eau de toilette – Eau de toilette
• Faux- Faux; meaning false
• Silhouette – Silhouette
• Uniform – Uniforme

Art, culture, and language

We can’t finish this article without mentioning some borrowed words concerning art, culture, and language.

Here they are:

• Apostrophe– Apostrophe
• Attaché– Attaché; literally meaning attached
• Avant-garde – Avant-garde, used mainly in arts
• Ballet – Ballet
• Film noir – Film noir, in the meaning ‘a film genre
• Gallery – Galerie
• Genre- Genre
• Irony – Ironie
• Gazette – Gazette
• Papier-mâché – Papier-mâché
• Poetic – Poétique, used in the Middle French 

 

Other French words used in English

There are many more borrowed words that are used in everyday conversations.

Here are some of them:

• Allowance – from the Old French word alouance, which means payment
• Aviation – Aviation
• Bachelor – Bachelier 
• Bon voyage – Bon voyage; translated to English, it means ‘have a good journey.’
• Bouquet- Bouquet
• Bureau – Bureau; it means ‘desk,’ or ‘office.’
• Cabaret – Cabaret
• Carte blanche — Carte blanche; it usually means ‘granting unlimited authority.’ Literally, it can be translated as  ‘white card’, as in a blank check
• Chauffeur – Chauffeur
• Cliché –Cliché, which means a phrase that is overused
• Connoisseur – Connoisseur
• Crème de la crème- Crème de la crème; this expression comes from Latin ‘le nec plus ultra’. It can be translated as ‘cream of the cream’ and represents the best person or a thing of a particular kind.
• Cul-de-sac – Cul-de-sac; in English, it means ‘the bottom of the bag/sack.’
• Debris – Débris; the literal meaning in English is ‘broken, crumbled.’
• Déjà vu –Déjà vu; from déjà (already) and vu (seen – past participle of ‘voir’)
• Delegate – Delegat
• Detour – Détour; from French verb détourner, which means ‘divert.’
• Dossier – Dossie
• Elite – Elit; it comes from the Old French, which means ‘chosen.’
• Energy – Énergie
• Entrepreneur — Entrepreneur
• En route – En route
• Et voilà ! — Et voilà ! It’s used to call attention when something is completed or done with success
• Expatriate – from the French word expatrier
• Facade – Façade
• Faux pas — Faux pas; or in English ‘false step’ 
• Fiancé – Fiancé
• Heritage – Eritage, or Héritage in modern French
• Homage – Homage
• Hotel – Hôtel
• Identity – Identité
• Illusion – Illusion
• Insult – Insult (noun), Iinsulter (verb)
• Jubilee – Jubilé 
• Kilogram – Kilogramme
• Lacrosse – La crosse; this word in Canadian French means ‘the stick.’
• Laissez-faire – Laissez-faire; translated to English, it means ‘leave things to take their course.’
• Liaison – Liaison
• Machine – Machine
• Magnificent – Magnificent
• Maisonette – Maisonette
• Massage – Massage
• Metabolism – Métabolisme
• Metro –Métro
• Mirage- Mirage; a natural phenomenon caused by atmospheric optics and the Sun’s rays.
• Musketeer – Mousquetaire
• Navy – Navie
• Neutral – Neutral
• Nocturnal – Nocturnal
• Novel – Novel
• Occasion – Occasion
• Optimism – Optimisme
• Parasol – Parasol
• Par excellence- Par excellence, which can be translated as ‘by excellence’, and it means the ultimate or quintessential
• Premiere – Première
• Purify – Purifier
• Recipient – Récipient
• Rendez-vous – Rendez-vous, which means appointment or a date
• Reservoir – Réservoir, which can be translated as ‘collection place’
• Ricochet – Ricochet
• Rich – Riche
• Ridicule – Ridicule
• Risqué – Risqué
• Sabotage – Sabotage
• Sentiment – Sentement
• Solicitor – Soliciteur
• Souvenir – Souvenir; this word means ‘memory,’ but it’s widely used as a thing that reminds you of places, events, people, etc.
• Technique – Technique
• Television – Télévision
• Tournament – Tournoiement 
• Utensil – Utensile
• Valid – Valide
• Variety – Varieté
• Vis-à-vis- Vis-à-vis; it means ‘regarding’ or ‘concerning,’ but the equivalent in English can also be ‘face to face.’

French words in English with different meanings

These words are called
false cognates. It means that they are written the same way, but their meanings are different.

Here are some examples of false cognates in French and English. 

• Actor (not a comedian) — Comédien

• Bookstore- Librairie; have in mind that this isn’t a library.

• Currently- Actuelement; note that it isn’t actual(ly)

• (to) Disappoint — Décevoir; not to deceive

• Former- Ancient; in English, it isn’t ancient

• Possible/ Possibly- Éventuelement

• Publisher- Éditeur; be careful; it isn’t an editor in English.

• Sensitive- Sensible; in English, it isn’t ‘sensible’ but ‘sensitive.’

• (to) Summarize- Résumer; note that this word in English isn’t ‘to resume.’

• (to) Take an exam- Passer un examen; pay attention when using this one.

Conclusion

These words are some common ones, but there are many, many more.

As you could see, over history, both languages influenced each other. Not only that, but a significant impact is also seen in their cultures as well.

French played the leading role in modern English, so it’s not so strange that English speakers find it
easy to learn French. So, if you already speak English, then use that to your advantage and
start learning French.

Are you now ready to learn French?

Book your lesson on Justlearn.

English French Report error accurate, equitable, even, lawful, mere, proper, right, righteous, scrupulous, slap → just
| droit → juste (✘) field, medicine → course | cours (✘) agree, anticipate, assent, attend, await, behear, expect, give ear, hark, hear → listen | liste (✘) build → found | fond (✘) New York minute, abet, aid, assistance, help, jiffy, minute, sec, second of arc → second
| adjoint, aide, assistant, deuxième → second (✘) chelek, element, faction, fractional, function, installment, position, role, section → part | parti (✘) catch, dilemma, imperfection, question → problem
| problème (✘) absolve, casuistry, let off, let off the hook, let pass, offcome, pretext, reason, unguilt → excuse | excuse (✘) New York minute, exact, exacting, excruciating, infinitesimal, insignificant, instant, jiffy, minuscule, minute of arc → minute
| minute (✘) adjust, adjustment, affect, entitize, immutation, transform, turn → change
| changer (✘) box, housing, pod, sheath → case | cause (✘) disparate, distinct, diverse, groundbreaking, nother, sunder → different | divers → différent (✘) horn → phone | phone (✘) alcohol, bever, drink alcohol, gargle, guzzle, imbibe, sip, skink, swig → drink | drink (✘) divided, fiesta, partly, rave → party | parti (✘) concerning, consequential, grave, serious, weighty → important
| important (✘) edge, epistle, flax, game, letter, linen, lineup, note, queue, reinforce → line | ligne (✘) as like as not, as likely as not, doubtless, in all probability, likely, maybe, most likely, perchance, perhaps, possibly → probably | aléatoire → probable (✘) guys, human being, resident, sort → person | persona (✘) appointment, arrangement, category, civilization, disposition, fiaunt, ray, ruling, sequence, sort → order | structure → ordre (✘) New York minute, consequence, instant, jiffy, minute, mo, point, stound → moment
| moment (✘) dozen, quadrillion → million
| million (✘) facade, façade, feign, first, fore, forward, gloss, lead, put on airs, recto → front
| front (✘) bureau, function → office | office (✘) anxiety, devil, doo-doo, harry, mischief, tine, torfer, tray, wrack → trouble | troubler (✘) Canis aegyptius, Canis canis, Canis domesticus, Canis familiaris, Canis familiaris saultor, Canis familiarus aegyptius, Canis familiarus domesticus, Canis familiarus melitaeus, Canis familiarus molossus, Canis melitaeus → dog | dogue (✘) consideration, contradict, enquiry, frain, interrogation, issue, motion, problem, proposal, proposition → question | question (✘) brace, few, handful, item → couple | couplet (✘) brace, few, handful, item → couple | couple (✘) chancellor, prez → president | président (✘) apparatus, arrangement, complex, composition, logistics, machinery, organization, set up, structure, synthesis → system | system (✘) anserine, blunt, chuckleheaded, damn, darn, dense, dim-bulb, drowsy, goony, gormless → stupid
| stupide (✘) amass, band, batch, bunch, categorise, categorize, category, circle, classify, collect → group | groupe (✘) dance | danse (✘) ‘rents, folks, old fogies, parentals → parents | parents (✘) field, hof, romance, woo → court | court (✘) banquet, chow, lunch, luncheon → dinner | diner (✘) waiting → service | fleur → service (✘) bellwether, harbinger, label, likelihood, prognostic, symptom, token, trail → sign | indice, trace → signe (✘) sickhouse → hospital | hôpital (✘) changed | changer (✘) administrator, comptroller, controller, flagship, head man, headly, manager, organizer, primary, principal → chief | leader → chef (✘) accustom, treachery → train | traîne (✘) actual, adduce, bede, current, depict, now → present | présent (✘) birr, dint, drive, iron, main, muscle, power, random → force | forces (✘) birr, dint, drive, iron, main, muscle, power, random → force
| pouvoir, puissance, violence → force (✘) bit, hunk, pacifier, portion, section, stick → piece | pièce (✘) buxom, canon, chamfer, circle, circular, complete, cylindrical, discoid, entire, even → round | rond (✘) backstage, clandestine, concealed, confidential, covert, dark, dern, in petto, off-the-record, private → secret
| secret (✘) allay, appease, calm down, collected, cool as a cucumber, cool off, ease, easygoing, equanimous, halcyon → calm
| bonace, repos, serein, sérénité, tranquille, tranquillité → calme (✘) absolute, decisive, endly, extreme, farewell, finative, inappellable, net, terminal → final | final (✘) questions | question (✘) conduct, direct, manage → officer | officier (✘) problems | problèmes (✘) absolute, apparent, infallible, resident, resolved, sicker, stonewall, wis, witter → certain | certain (✘) continues | prolonger → continuer (✘) pension → hotel | hôtel (✘) goom, heed, limelight, mind, nevermind, notice, tent → attention | audience → attention (✘) gameboard, get onto → board | bord (✘) go, go out → date | datte (✘) based | baser (✘) based | base (✘) -scape, configuration, constitute, construct, figure, gestalt, grade, hew, makedom, semblance → form
| forme (✘) appearance, depict, effigy, form → figure | figuré (✘) college, institute, uni → university | université (✘) members | membres (✘) burdensome, complex, cumbersome, dense, hairy, hard case, onerous, testing, tough case, untoward → difficult | difficulté (✘) 100 percent, absolute, exclusive, full, internal, one hundred percent, round, rump and stump, stallion, unbroken → entire | complet, nombre entier → entier (✘) accusation, commitment, denounce, expenditure, expense, imposition, impute, load, thrust → charge | charge (✘) calculator, grid, matrix, pigeonhole, shelve, vector → table | table (✘) calculator, grid, matrix, pigeonhole, shelve, vector → table | tables (✘) consort, crew, group → band | troupe → bande (✘) continuation bet, get on with, keep on, last, pass, resume → continue | continue (✘) bede, offerture, tender → offer | offre (✘) battle, combat, conduct, deed → action | action (✘) twofold, twosome → double | double (✘) ma, momma → mama | mère → maman (✘) art, craft, cunning, desire, enroll, inclination, skill → list
| liste (✘) get, mean, source → cause | causés (✘) get, mean, source → cause | casse (✘) byspel, case in point, forbisen, pattern, sample → example | exemple (✘) cool, dynamic, fashionable, lively, trendy, vibrant → happening | happening (✘) scene
| scène (✘) life → experience | expérience (✘) addle-brain, ass, bamp, boob, dingleberry, jackass, jagoff, langer, musclebrain, retard → idiot
| bête → idiot (✘) Gaussian, at right angle, average, common, conventional, expected, garden variety, hale, healthy, laudable → normal | standard → normal (✘) civil union, cohabitation, conjugality, spousal → marriage | mariage (✘) bridewell, compound, hock, imprisonment, pokey, stir → prison | prison (✘) flat → plane | plan (✘) flat → plane | planer (✘) awarder, deemer, deemster, justice, sheriff → judge | juge (✘) difference | différence (✘) decision | décisions (✘) accident | accident (✘) machine
| machine (✘) match
| match (✘) arms | armes (✘) lieutenant
| lieutenant (✘) lunch | lunch (✘) simply | simple (✘) sold | solde (✘) plans | plan (✘) impossible
| impossible (✘) accept | accepté (✘) original | originale (✘) arrived | arrivé (✘) seconds | deuxième → seconde (✘) complete | compléter (✘) nature
| nature (✘) enemy | ennemi (✘) total
| total (✘) camera | caméra (✘) track | trace (✘) process | procès (✘) style
| style (✘) joke | joker (✘) base | baser (✘) agent | agent (✘) leader | leader (✘) natural | naturel (✘) video | vidéo (✘) sergeant | sergent (✘) services | services (✘) note | noter (✘)

By OptiLingo • 6 minute read

You Use a Lot of French Words in English

It may surprise you to learn that, as an English speaker, you already know a fair amount of French. And this can help you learn French faster. But knowing what these loanwords and cognates are, you can enhance your French vocabulary quickly. Find out which French words are used in English every day.

Why Is There So Much French in English?

A brief refresher history lesson will help you understand how French came to be one of the foundations for modern English. Linguists often consider the origins of the English language ripe for debate. Ancient cultures in the British Isles spoke Celtic-based languages. The Romans invaded Britain around 50 AD, bringing the Latin language with them. Latin would become an essential language in the public life of Britain during Roman rule.

The Anglo-Saxon invasion in the 5th and 6th centuries involved the introduction of Germanic languages that were responsible for many of the foundations of English. The origins of French words in the English language dates to 1066, the year of the Norman Conquest. The Normans who ruled England spoke a dialect known as Anglo-Norman French. Because of Norman rule, this dialect became an essential part of English culture, as well as law and administration. French words, even some of the quirkier ones, have had a steady place in English ever since.

How Much of English Comes From French

Thanks to the French occupation of the British Isles, English has plenty of vocabulary of French origin. Did you know that well over 10,000 English words come from French? Besides words that come from French, many other English words come from Latin, which French has its origins in.

Many words in English either have close equivalents or exact counterparts in French, which is pretty impressive. Where did all these words come from, anyway? We’ll take a closer look at French’s influence on our language, and you might even build up your vocabulary.

How Many French Words Are in English?

About 7,000 French words are in the modern English language. Initially, there were about 10,000 French-origin words in English.

England’s sometimes-complicated history his given it influences from many languages. However, here are some interesting facts:

• 58% of words in modern English have Latin and French origins
• 29% of words in modern English have entirely French origins
• English and French have 170,000 true cognates, similar or same words with identical meanings in both languages

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Common French and English Suffixes

The -tion suffix found in words like action is common to a lot of words in both languages. There are other suffixes that lead to common words, such as:

• -isme, such as le racisme (racism) and l’impressionnisme (impressionism)
• -able, such as adorable, la table, and capable
• -ssion, such as la passion and la mission
• -tion, such as attention or l’accélération
• -if/ive, such as créative or furtive
• -ation, such as l’information and la nation

Although these words are not always identical, they are often similar enough despite the article used or slight spelling differences in the suffix. Although you will still need to learn the necessary vocabulary, understanding the use of common suffixes is an excellent way to learn more of the words you need to know.

Cuisine and Food Terms That Come From French

• À la carte – Ordering individual dishes off the menu, without following a specific course
• Alcool – A word for alcohol that comes from Arabic, with a Latin base
• Apéritif – An alcoholic beverage consumed before the main meal
• Bon Appétit – Enjoy your meal
• Café – In French, this refers to a special type of restaurant
• Chef – In French, this word translates more closely to “boss” than just “cook”
• Hors d’œuvre – Usually an appetizer, but can refer to any small savory dish
• Maître d’hôtel – restaurant staffer in charge of servers and buspeople
• Menu – Basically the same as in English, although it may refer to determined items served as courses or a’ la carte items
• Vinaigrette – A salad dressing consisting of oil, wine vinegar, and spices

Other exact words include menu, picnic, and restaurant. Salade and soupe have the same meanings in both languages, with a different spelling. Some French food-related words British English speakers use include aubergine (eggplant), cornichon (pickles), courgette (zucchini), and gâteau (cake).

Fashion-Related French Words Used in English

France has a long history of involvement with fashion, and it is easy to see its involvement through the use of some common words and phrases. Here are some of the most common words and their original meanings:

• Blond/blonde, brunette -Many are surprised to learn that the names for these hair colors have French roots
• Boutique – A store selling stylish clothing, jewelry, and luxury goods
• Chic – Usually used to describe something stylish and sophisticated
• Couture – Made-to-measure or customized designs
• Eau de cologne/toilette – Cologne or perfume
• Faux – Synthetic, usually referring to fake “fur” or “leather”
• Petite – A small clothing size geared towards small women
• Prêt-à-porter – Clothing made “ready to wear”, instead of “made-to-measure”
• Sans fard – Photos of celebrities appearing without or with very minimal makeup and without their hair styled
• Silhouette – The outline and dark shape that appears against a lighter background

Artistic and Cultural French Words Used in English

France has been at the forefront of the art world for centuries. Here are the exact meanings of some terms used in artistic or cultural settings:

• Art Nouveau – Modern art
• Avant-Garde – Experimental art
• Bas-relief – Sculpture attached to a solid background
• Film noir – Thriller or detective movies
• Genre – A specific film type, such as drama, horror, action, etc.
• Matinée – A daytime film screening or theatrical performance
• Papier mâché – Paper material, possibly reinforced with textiles, used in art
• Trompe-l’œil – Art that creates a visual illusion

Other terms in the art world that are similar include cubisme (cubism), impressionisme (impressionism), realisme (realism), and surrealisme (surrealism).

Other Familiar French Words

Some French words are used essentially the same way in both languages and are a part of everyday vocabulary. Common words that require no explanation are:

• Au pair
• Bouquet
• Chauffeur
• Déjà vu
• Dépôt
• En route
• Entrepreneur
• Par excellence
• Pot pourri
• R.S.V.P. (for Répondez s’il vous plaît)
• Souvenir
• Voilà

Learn French Easily

While the connection between French and English is undeniable, it’s not enough to learn French. You need much more than loanwords to speak French fluently. You need a reliable language learning method. So, you need OptiLingo.

OptiLingo can get you to French fluency faster than any other language learning app. This app gives you the most common French words, so you’ll learn exactly how the locals speak. And with built-in spaced repetition, you’re guaranteed to remember your lessons. Try OptiLingo today to discover how easy learning French can be!