What is french word for english

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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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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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The influence of French on English pertains mainly to its lexicon but also to its syntax, grammar, orthography, and pronunciation. Most of the French vocabulary in English entered the language after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, when Old French, specifically the Old Norman dialect, became the language of the new Anglo-Norman court, the government, and the elites. That period lasted for several centuries until the aftermath of the Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453). However, English has continued to be influenced by French. According to Laura Lawless, more than a third of current English vocabulary is of French origin.^[1] And according to the linguist Henriette Walter, words of French origin represent more than two-thirds of the English vocabulary.^[2]

Background[edit]

Before 1066[edit]

In the early 11th century, Old English was not a single unified language but a dialect continuum that stretched from the southern English coast to the Forth estuary. However, a literary standard had emerged that was based around the West Saxon dialect spoken in the area centred on Winchester, the capital of Wessex.^[3] Also spoken in the territory ruled by the Anglo-Saxons were the Celtic languages of Old Cornish, Old Welsh, and Cumbric, mainly in peripheral regions in which settlement by the Anglo-Saxons had been fairly minor, and Old Norse across a wide swath of territory in the North and the East Midlands.

Norman conquest of England and consequences[edit]

William II of Normandy landed at Hastings, Sussex on September 29, 1066. He deployed his men in the nearby area while he waited for King Harold Godwinson’s troops. On October 14, exhausted by previous clashes with Scandinavians in the north and the long journey to Hastings, the English army lost the battle quickly and became disorganised after Harold was killed. After the defeat of the English, William claimed the throne as King of England on December 25, 1066. He was crowned William I of England and came to be known as William the Conqueror (Guillaume le Conquérant in French). William’s followers became a new Norman ruling class and imposed their language on the upper echelons of society. Anglo-Saxon dialects were supplanted by Norman in the royal court and aristocratic circles, the justice system, and the
Church. Influential Norman settlers used their native language in daily life, but more modest rural and urban areas of society continued to speak varieties of English.

The Norman Conquest marked the beginning of a long period of interaction between England and France. Noble English families, most of them of Norman origin, taught their children French or sent them to study in France. The early Norman kings spent more time in Normandy than in England.^[4] Royal marriages also encouraged the expansion of the French language in England. From Henry II Plantagenet and Eleanor of Aquitaine in the early 12th century to Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou in the 15th century, many English kings married French princesses, which kept French as the language of the English court for several centuries and strengthened its use in England overall.^[5]

Decline of French as first language in England[edit]

Throughout the late 11th and 12th centuries, the Norman nobility had ruled over both England and Normandy. However, in 1204, Normandy was lost to France^{[citation needed]} and so the aristocracy began to associate more with an English identity. Anti-French sentiment in England began to grow after Henry III invited relatives of his wife, Eleanor of Provence, to settle in England and bestowed lavish favours on them. Written works promoting the use of English in England began to appear around then, such as the Cursor Mundi. Meanwhile, the French spoken in England was stigmatised as a provincial variety by speakers from the Continent,^[6] particularly because the Anglo-Norman that was spoken by the elites had taken on a syntactical structure that resembled English. Some nobles had simply shifted to English entirely.^[7]

In 1328, Charles IV of France died without an heir. Edward III of England and Philip VI of France disputed the French throne, and the Hundred Years’ War ensued. The war provoked further negative feelings towards French in England, as it came to be seen as the language of the enemy. English had reasserted itself as a language of government and learning after over 200 years as a language of low prestige. In 1349, English became the language of instruction at the University of Oxford, which had taught in French or Latin.

The use of English became widespread by the introduction of printing to England by William Caxton in 1476. Henry IV (1367-1413) was the first English king whose first language was English, and Henry V (1387-1422) was the first king of England to use English in official documents.

Lexical[edit]

The most notable influence of French on English has been its extensive contribution to the English lexicon. It has been estimated that about a third of the words in English are French in origin;^[8] linguist Henriette Walter claims that this total may be as high as two thirds.^[2] Linguist Anthony Lacoudre has estimated that over 40,000 English words come directly from French and may be understood without orthographical change by French speakers.^[9]

Albert C. Baugh and Thomas Cable note that «although this influx of French words was brought about by the victory of the Conqueror and by the political and social consequences of that victory, it was neither sudden nor immediately apparent. Rather it began slowly and continued with varying tempo for a long time. Indeed, it can hardly be said to have ever stopped.»^[10] Baugh and Cable define several categories of early French borrowings:^[11]

• Government and social class (revenue, authority, realm, duke, count, marquis, servant, peasant)
• Church (religion, sermon, prayer, abbey, saint, faith, pray, convent, cloister)
• Law (justice, crime, jury, pardon, indict, arrest, felon, evidence)
• War (army, navy, battle, garrison, captain, sergeant, combat, defense)
• Fashion (gown, robe, frock, collar, satin, crystal, diamond, coat, embroidery)
• Food (feast, taste, mackerel, salmon, bacon, fry, mince, plate, goblet)
• Learning and medicine (paper, preface, study, logic, surgeon, anatomy, stomach, remedy, poison)

In many cases a French word might have existed alongside a Germanic word that meant the same thing, with the two words eventually taking on different senses. Exemplifying this are the «food pairs» in which the English word refers to a living animal on a farm, while the French word signifies the meat of the animal after it has been made into a meal (cow and beef, swine and pork, sheep and mutton).^[12] Other times, the same French word was borrowed twice, once from the Norman dialect and then again from the Parisian dialect, with different meanings arising. Such doublets include Norman catch vs Parisian chase, Norman warranty vs Parisian guarantee and Norman warden vs Parisian guardian.

The period from 1250 to 1400 was the most prolific for borrowed words from French. Forty percent of all the French words in English appear for the first time between these two dates.^[13] After this period, the scale of the lexical borrowing decreased sharply, though French loan words have continued to enter English even into the modern era.

Morphological and syntactical[edit]

The gradual decline of the English singular pronouns thou and thee and their replacement with ye and later you have been linked to the parallel French use of vous in formal settings.^[14] The ubiquity of -s to mark plurals in English has also been attributed to French influence, but the -s ending was common in English even prior to the Norman Conquest since -as was the standard suffix form for plurals of strong masculine nouns in the nominative and accusative cases. It is possible that the dominance of that form over other endings such as -en was strengthened by the similarity of the French plural construction.^[7]

Other suggestions include the impersonal one («one does what one wants») and possessive phrases such as «the guitar of David», rather than «David’s guitar», but similar forms are found in other Germanic languages, though, which casts doubt on the proposed French derivations.^[7] Attempts have also been made to connect the increased use of gerunds towards the end of the Middle English period to the French gérondif form.^[15]

They are fairly rare in English, but constructions that place the adjective after the noun (attorney general) are derived from French.^[14]

English has adopted several prefix and suffix morphemes from French, including pre-, -ous, -ity, -tion, -ture, -ment, -ive and -able. They now stand alongside native English forms such as over-, -ish, -ly, -ness, -ship, -some, -less and -ful.

Phonological[edit]

The influence of French on English pronunciation is generally held to have been fairly minor, but a few examples have been cited:^[16]

• The use of non-word-initial stress patterns in some loan words of French origin
• The phonemisation of the voiced fricatives /z/ and /v/ (in Old English, they were allophones of their voiceless counterparts, /s/ and /f/, a pattern that can still be seen in some dialects of West Country English)
• The use of the diphthongs /ui/ and /oi/

Orthographic[edit]

In the centuries following the Norman conquest, English was written mainly by Norman scribes. Thus, French spelling conventions had a great effect on the developing English orthography. Innovations that then arose include the following:^[17]

• «qu-» instead of «cw-» (queen)
• «gh» instead of «h» (night)
• «ch» or «cch» instead of «c» (church)
• «ou» instead of «u» (house)
• «sh» or «sch» instead of «sc» (ship)
• «dg» instead of «cg» or «gg» (bridge)
• «o» instead of «u» (love, son; the «u» that was originally in such words was considered difficult to distinguish from the surrounding letters)
• doubling of vowels to represent long vowel sounds (see)
• doubling of consonants after short vowels (sitting)
• more use of «k», «z» and «j»

Several letters derived from Germanic runes or Irish script that had been common in Old English, such as ƿ and ð, largely fell out of use, possibly because the Normans were unfamiliar with them. þ, the final remaining runic letter in English, survived in a severely-altered form until the 17th century.

Miscellaneous[edit]

The effects of the Norman conquest had an indirect influence on the development of the standardized English that began to emerge towards the end of the 15th century. The takeover of the elite class by the Normans, as well as their decision to move the capital of England from Winchester to London, ended the dominance of the Late West Saxon literary language.^[7] London’s growing influence led to the English spoken nearby, which was largely derived from the Mercian dialect of Old English, to become the standard written form, rather than that of West Saxon areas such as Hampshire, Wiltshire and Somerset.

The Normans had a strong influence on English personal names.^[18] Old English names such as Alfred, Wulfstan, Aelfric, Harold, Godwin and Athelstan largely fell out of fashion and were replaced by the likes of Hebrew, Greek, or Christian names such as John, Peter and Simon as well as Normanized Germanic names like William, Richard, Henry, Robert, Roger and Hugh.

Examples of English words of French origin[edit]

Though the following list is in no way exhaustive, it illustrates some of the more common English words of French origin. Examples of French-to-English lexical contributions are classified by field and in chronological order. The periods during which these words were used in the English language are specified to the extent that this is possible.

Law and society[edit]

This is not a full list.

• Crown: from couronne, 12th c.^[19]
• Custom: from custume, 12-13th c.
• Squire: from escuier, the bearer of the écu, bouclier, 12-13th c.
• Assizes: from assises, 13th c.
• Franchise: from franchise, 13th c.
• Joust: from joust, 13th c.
• Justice: from justice
• Marriage: from mariage, spouses’ belongings, 13th c.^{[clarification needed]}
• Parliament: from parlement, conversation, 13th c.
• Heir: from heir, 13th c.
• Summon: from semondre, invite someone to do something, 13th c.
• Nice: from nice, idiot/stupid, 13th-14th c.^[20]
• Bourgeois, from bourgeois, 19th c.
• Fiancé, from fiancé, 19th c.
• Chef/chief, from chef, 19th c.
• Flirt, from conter fleurette, flower storytelling.

Commerce[edit]

• Caterer: from Old Norman acatour, buyer, 11th c.
• Pay: from paier, appease, 12th c.
• Ticket: from estiquet, small sign, 12th c.^[21]
• Purchase: from prochacier, «to try obtain (something)», 12th c.
• Rental: from rental, subject to an annual fee, 12th c.
• Debt: from det, 12th c.
• Affair: from à faire, 13th c.
• Bargain: from bargaignier, hesitate, 14th c.
• Budget: from bougette, small fabric pocket for coins and bills of exchange.^[22]

Sport[edit]

• Champion: from champion, end 12th c.
• Sport: from desport, entertainment, 12th c.^[21]
• Challenge: from chalenge, 12th c.
• Record: from record, 12th-13th c.
• To record: from recorder, 12th-13th c.
• Court: from court/curt/cort, 13th c.
• Tennis: from tenez, hold, 14th c.
• Hockey: from hocquet, hooked stick, date unknown.^[21]

Domestic life[edit]

• Aunt: from ante, 12th c.
• Butler: from bouteleur (12th c.), or bouteiller (14th c.), sommelier.
• Chamber: from chambre, 13th c.
• Curtain: from cortine, bed curtain, 13th c.
• Blanket: from blanquette, white sheet cover, 13th c.
• Towel: from toailler, 13th c.
• Chair: from chaiere, 13th c.
• Pantry: from paneterie, bread storage place, 13th c.
• Cushion: from coissin, 14th c.
• Closet: from closet, small enclosure, 14th c.

Food and cooking[edit]

• Cabbage: from caboche, «head» in Norman-Picard language, 11th c.
• Bacon: from bacon, pork meat, «Salted bacon arrow», beginning of the 12th c.
• Custard: from crouste, crust, 12th-13th c.
• Toast: from the verb toster, to grill, 12th-13th c.
• Cauldron: from Anglo-Norman caudron, 12th-13th c.^[23]
• Cattle: from Anglo-Normand catel, property, 12th-13th c.
• Mustard: from moustarde, condiment made from seeds mixed with grape must, 13th c.
• Grape: from grape, bunch of grapes, 13th c.
• Mutton: from moton, sheep, end 13th c.^[24]
• Beef: from buef, beef, circa 1300.^[25]
• Pork: from porc, circa 1300.^[26]
• Poultry: from pouletrie, poultry (the animal), circa end 14th c.^[27]
• Claret: from claret, red wine, 14th c.
• Mince: from mincier, to cut in small pieces, 14th c.
• Stew: from estuver, to «soak in a hot bath», 14th c.
• Veal: from vel, calf, 14th c.^[28]
• Banquet: from banquet, 15th c.
• Carrot: 16th c.
• Aperitif: 16th c.
• Hors d’œuvre: end 17th c.
• Douceur (small gift, gratuity): end 17th c.
• Casserole (stewed dish): end 17th c.
• Menu: end 17th c.
• Gratin: end 17th c.
• Terrine: 18th c.
• Croissant: 19th c.
• Foie gras: 19th c.
• Mayonnaise: 19th c.
• Buffet: 19th c.
• Restaurant: 19th c.
• Bouillon: 20th c.
• Velouté: 20th c.
• Confit: 20th c.
• À la carte: 20th c.

Art of living and fashion[edit]

• Gown: from gone, pantyhose^{[clarification needed]}, 12th century
• Attire: from atir, «what is used for clothing», 12th century
• Petticoat: from petti («of little value») and cotte («long tunic»), 13th century
• Poney: from poulenet or poleney,^[21] foal, date unknown.
• Toilette: 17th century
• Lingerie: end 17th century
• Blouse: end 17th century
• Rouge: from rouge à lèvres, lipstick, end 17th century
• Salon: end 17th century
• Couturier: 19th century
• Luxe: 19th century
• Eau de Cologne/Cologne: 19th century
• Massage: 19th century
• Renaissance: 19th century
• Chic: 20th century
• Boutique: 20th century
• Prêt à porter: 20th century
• Libertine: 20th century
• Parfum/perfume: from parfum 20th century
• Déjà vu: 20th century

Other domains[edit]

• Canvas: from Norman-Picard canevas, 11th century
• Catch: from Old Norman cachier, to hunt, 11th-12th century
• Proud: from prud, valiant, beginning 12th century
• Causeway: from Anglo-Norman calciata, 12th century
• Kennel: from Anglo-Norman kenil, dog, 12th-13th century
• Guile: from guile, fraud/deceitfulness, 12th-13th century
• Foreign: from forain, «the stranger», 12th-13th century
• Grief: from grief, 12th-13th century
• Solace: from soulace, «the rejoicing», 12th-13th century
• Scorn: from escorner, to insult, 12th-13th century
• Square: from esquarre, 12th-13th century
• Conceal: from conceler, to hide, 12th-13th century
• Strive: from estriver, to make efforts, 12th-13th century
• Very: from veray, true, 12th-13th century
• Faint: from feint, soft/unenthusiastic, 12th-13th century
• Eager: from egre, sour, 12th-13th century
• Challenge: from chalenge, 13th century
• Change: from the verb changier, to change, 13th century
• Chapel: from chapele, 13th century
• Choice: from chois, 13th century
• Mischief: from meschef, misfortune, 13th century
• Achieve: from achever, come to an end/accomplish (a task), 13th century
• Bizarre: 17th century
• Rendezvous: 17th century

Bibliography[edit]

• Chirol Laure, Les « mots français » et le mythe de la France en anglais contemporain, Paris, Klincksieck (coll. « Études linguistiques », 17), 1973, 215 p.
• Duchet Jean-Louis, « Éléments pour une histoire de l’accentuation lexicale en anglais », Études Anglaises : Grande-Bretagne, États-Unis, vol. 47, 1994, pp. 161–170.
• Kristol Andres Max, « Le début du rayonnement parisien et l’unité du français au Moyen âge : le témoignage des manuels d’enseignement du français écrits en Angleterre entre le XIIIe et le début du XVe siècle », Revue de Linguistique Romane, vol. 53, (1989), pp. 335–367.
• Lusignan Serge, La langue des rois au Moyen Âge. Le français en France et en Angleterre, Paris, PUF (coll. « Le nœud gordien »), 2004, 296 p.
• Mossé Fernand, Esquisse d’une histoire de la langue anglaise, 1^ère édition, Lyon, IAC, 1947, 268 p.
• Rothwell William, « À quelle époque a-t-on cessé de parler français en Angleterre ? », Mélanges de philologie romane offerts à Charles Camproux, 1978, pp. 1075–1089.
• Walter Henriette, Honni soit qui mal y pense : l’incroyable histoire d’amour entre le français et l’anglais, Paris, Robert Laffont, 2001, 364 p.

See also[edit]

• Francophonie
• Geographical distribution of French speakers
• Glossary of French words and expressions in English
• History of England
• History of France
• Organisation internationale de la Francophonie

References[edit]

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?

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

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