What is the word done in french

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These examples may contain colloquial words based on your search.

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We have done more than change the philosophy of government spending.

Nous avons fait plus que modifier la philosophie des dépenses publiques.

Our company cultivates a particular taste for a job well done.

Notre société cultive un goût particulier pour le travail bien fait.

You can capitalize on the work your competitors have already done.

Vous pourriez capitaliser sur le travail que ceux-ci ont déjà effectué.

Decoding is done prior to any further encoding on the variable.

Ce décodage est effectué avant tout codage ultérieur de la variable.

This is done anonymously without specific reference to the customer.

Cela est réalisé de manière anonyme, sans référence spécifique au client.

The interior and exterior maintenance is regular and done with care.

L’entretien intérieur et extérieur est régulier et réalisé avec soin.

They come from legitimate studies done by very reliable sources.

Ils sont extraits d’études légitimes réalisées par des gens très fiables.

Rest assured that nothing was done without your willing cooperation.

Sois assuré que rien ne s’est fait sans ta coopération volontaire.

Eun has done extensive work with executives in various industries.

Eun a fait énormément de travail avec des cadres dans divers secteurs.

The process is done every quarter and stored for each fund.

Ce procédé est effectué quatre fois et enregistré pour chaque fonds.

The formation of diamond is done then by germination and growth.

La formation du diamant se fait alors par germination et croissance.

Keychain beautiful, really well done all the markings are legible.

Trousseau magnifique, vraiment bien fait tous les marquages sont lisibles.

Nicely done strategy presupposes the existence of three main playable races.

Stratégie bien fait présuppose l’existence de trois principales races jouables.

The local offers the plans already done for cafe or restaurant.

Le local propose les plans déjà réalisés pour café ou restaurant.

All is done to lighten the ambience and engage their imagination.

Tout est fait pour alléger l’ambiance et engager leur imagination.

Save time without neglecting the importance of a job well done.

Économisez du temps sans négliger l’importance du travail bien fait.

The thematic analysis is also done from a political perspective.

L’analyse de la thématique se fait également depuis un angle politique.

That is done through various lessons learned from each project.

Cela se fait à travers les différentes leçons apprises de chaque projet.

Running is the same vigorous exercise whether done outdoors or in.

Courir est le même exercice vigoureux si fait dehors ou dedans.

It is done through bilateral support programs to political parties.

Elle se fait par les programmes d’aide bilatéral aux partis politiques.

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Suggestions that contain done

Sur cette page : done, do

WordReference English-French Dictionary © 2023:

Principales traductions
Anglais		Français
done v past p	(past participle of do)	fait pp
	He had done what he needed to do.
	Il avait fait ce qu’il devait faire.
done adj	(food: cooked) (nourriture)	cuit adj
	Turn off the heat; those steaks are done.
done adj	(proper)	cela se fait
	Wearing jeans to a garden party is not the done thing.
	Cela ne se fait pas de porter un jean pour une garden-party.
be done vi + adj	(have been carried out)	être fini, être terminé vi + adj
	Once your chores are done you can play the Playstation.
	Quand tes tâches ménagères seront terminées, tu pourras aller jouer à la Playstation.
be done vi + adj	informal (have finished doing [sth])	avoir fini, avoir terminé vi + pp
	Are you done yet?
	Tu as fini (or: Tu as terminé) ?
be done with [sth] v expr	informal (finished with [sth])	avoir fini [qch] loc v
	As soon as I’m done with my current project, I’ll begin the next one.
	Dès que j’aurai fini ce projet, je commencerai le prochain.
be done with doing [sth] v expr	informal (have finished [sth] undesirable)	en avoir fini avec [qch], en avoir terminé avec [qch] loc v
	I’m a college graduate now; I’m done with waiting on tables!
	Ça y est, je suis diplômé : j’en ai enfin fini avec les boulots de serveur !
be done doing [sth] v expr	informal (have finished doing [sth])	avoir fini de faire [qch], avoir terminé de faire [qch] vi + pp
	I’m done stacking the shelves; what should I do next?
	J’ai fini (or: terminé) de mettre en rayon, que dois-je faire ensuite ?
be done vi + adj	informal (used up)	être fini, être terminé adj
		il n’y a plus de [qch]
	This bag of nappies is done. Do we have another one?
	Ce paquet de couches est fini (or: terminé). On en a un autre ?
	Il n’y a plus de couches dans ce paquet. On en a un autre ?

Traductions supplémentaires
Anglais		Français
be done vi + adj	informal (exhausted) (familier : fatigué)	être crevé, être claqué vi + adj
	I’m done. Let’s go home.
	Je suis crevé (or: claqué). Rentrons.

WordReference English-French Dictionary © 2023:

Principales traductions
Anglais		Français
do [sth]⇒ vtr	(fill your time with)	faire⇒ vtr
	What are you doing this afternoon? When Peter retired, he didn’t know what to do all day.
	Qu’est-ce que tu fais cette après-midi ? Quand Peter a pris sa retraite, il ne savait pas quoi faire toute la journée.
do [sth] vtr	(create, make) (créer)	faire⇒ vtr
	As an artist, he did fabulous things with scrap metal. What a lovely painting; did you do it?
	En tant qu’artiste il faisait des choses fabuleuses avec des restes de métal. Quelle belle peinture ; c’est toi qui l’as faite ?
do [sth] vtr	(carry out, attend to: task, job) (une tâche,…)	faire⇒ vtr
	I’ll do the dishes, since you cooked.
	Je vais faire la vaisselle, puisque tu as cuisiné.
do [sth] vtr	(work as [sth] for a living) (métier)	faire⇒ vtr
	What do you do for a living? George’s mother is a bus driver; I don’t know what his father does.
	Que faites-vous dans la vie ? La mère de George est chauffeur de bus ; je ne sais pas ce que fait son père.
do⇒ vi	informal (fare, manage) (familier)	se débrouiller⇒ v pron
	(familier)	s’en sortir⇒, s’en tirer⇒ v pron
	How are you doing on that project? It looks as though you’re doing well with your homework.
	Comment vous débrouillez-vous sur ce projet ?
	Comment vous en sortez-vous (or: tirez-vous) sur ce projet ?
do vi	informal (progress) (un peu familier)	se débrouiller⇒, s’en sortir⇒, s’en tirer⇒ v pron
	(école…)	réussir⇒ vi
	(Scolaire)	do well : avoir de bonnes notes, avoir de bons résultats, être bon élève loc v
	How are your kids doing in school? I didn’t do well at school.
	Comment tes enfants se débrouillent à l’école ?
	Est-ce que tes enfants réussissent bien à l’école ?
	Je n’avais pas de bonnes notes à l’école (or: Je n’étais pas bon élève).
do v aux	(used to form question) (le plus soutenu)	[inversion sujet-verbe]
		est-ce que + [sujet-verbe]
	(familier)	[sujet-verbe] ?
	Do you have a pen? Do you know where the dog is?
	Avez-vous un stylo ? // Sais-tu où se trouve le chien ?
	Est-ce que vous avez un stylo ? // Est-ce que tu sais où est le chien ?
	Vous avez un stylo ?
do v aux	(used to form negative) (partie de négation)	—
	I do not know.
	Je ne sais pas.
	Je sais pas.
do v aux	(used for emphasis)	vraiment adv
	(insistance)	mais conj
	(réponse à une négation)	mais si
	I do love you, honestly!
	Mais si, je t’aime, je te le jure !
do v aux	(used in positive commands) (insistance)	—
		mais conj
	Do come over for a visit!
	Mais venez donc nous rendre visite !

Traductions supplémentaires
Anglais		Français
do n	informal (event)	fête nf
	Jane bought a red dress for the big do.
	Jane a acheté une robe rouge pour la grande fête.
do, doh n	(first note of musical scale) (note de musique)	do nm inv
	The teacher sang ‘do, re, mi’ and then the children joined her.
	La professeur a fait un « do, ré, mi » et les enfants ont repris en chœur.
do n	abbreviation, informal (hairdo)	coupe, coupe de cheveux, coiffure nf
	Sarah’s work colleagues all admired her new do.
	Tous les collègues de travail de Sarah ont admiré sa nouvelle coupe.
do vi	informal (be satisfactory) (familier)	aller⇒ vi
	Will this do for you, or should I work on it some more?
	Est-ce que ça t’ira ou tu veux que je travaille dessus davantage ?
do vi	(behave)	faire⇒ vi
	Do as I say, not as I do.
	Faites ce que je dis, pas ce que je fais.
do vi	informal (be in a stated condition) (santé)	aller⇒ vi
	Is she doing any better than yesterday?
	Va-t-elle mieux qu’hier ?
do vi	(suffice)	aller⇒, suffire⇒ vi
	Will decaf do, or should I go out and get some real coffee?
	Est-ce que du décaféiné ira (or: suffira) ou faut-il que je sorte chercher du vrai café ?
do vi	(used in place of an earlier verb)	—
	We see things as you do.
	Nous voyons les choses comme vous (or: comme toi).
do [sth]⇒ vtr	informal (produce) (fabriquer)	faire⇒ vtr
	The dressmaker could do six dresses in a day.
	Le couturier pouvait faire six robes par jour.
do [sth] vtr	(cause an effect) (causer)	faire⇒ vtr
	Drugs can do a lot of harm.
	La drogue peut faire beaucoup de dégâts.
do [sth] vtr	informal (study) (étudier)	faire⇒ vtr
	We haven’t done trigonometry yet.
	Nous n’avons pas encore fait de trigonométrie.
do [sth] vtr	informal (prepare) (préparer : la cuisine, animation,…)	faire⇒ vtr
		s’occuper de v pron + prép
	I’ll do the drinks; you just keep everyone entertained.
	ⓘCette phrase n’est pas une traduction de la phrase originale. Moi, je ferai le repas et Julien, la déco.
	Je m’occuperai des boissons et toi, de l’animation.
do [sth] vtr	(make effort)	faire⇒ vtr
	It doesn’t matter if you pass the exam or not; just do your best.
	Qu’importe que tu aies l’examen ou pas ; fais de ton mieux.
do [sth] vtr	informal (theatre: present, perform) (Théâtre : une pièce)	jouer⇒ vtr
	We’re doing Hamlet next.
	Nous jouons Hamlet prochainement.
do [sth] vtr	informal (cook) (cuisiner)	faire⇒ vtr
	I’m going to do a roast this weekend.
	Je vais faire un rôti ce week-end.
do [sth] vtr	(have custom of)	faire⇒ vtr
	We don’t do that sort of thing here.
	On ne fait pas ce genre de choses ici.
do [sth] vtr	informal (appearance: prepare)	s’occuper de v pron + prép
	(les ongles)	se faire⇒ v pron
		to do your makeup : se maquiller⇒ v pron
		to do your hair : se coiffer⇒ v pron
	Sally spends an hour every day doing her makeup, hair, and nails.
	Sally passe une heure chaque jour à se maquiller, se coiffer et se faire les ongles.
	Elle passe une demi-heure chaque jour à se maquiller, se coiffer et à se faire les ongles.
do [sth] vtr	informal (write) (écrire)	faire⇒ vtr
	His next idea is to do a book on the history of Wimbledon.
	Sa prochaine idée est de faire un livre sur l’histoire de Wimbledon.
do [sth] vtr	(traverse, cover) (parcourir)	faire⇒ vtr
	We did five hundred miles in two days.
	Nous avons fait cinq cents miles en deux jours.
do [sth] vtr	informal (decorate) (décorer)	faire⇒ vtr
	They did the baby’s bedroom in yellow, just in case.
	Ils ont fait la chambre du bébé en jaune, au cas où.
do [sth] vtr	informal (travel at a given speed) (familier : vitesse)	aller à vi + prép
	They were doing thirty miles an hour when the other car struck them.
	Ils allaient à trente miles à l’heure quand l’autre voiture les a heurtés.
do [sth] vtr	informal (travel, sightsee) (visiter)	faire⇒ vtr
	We’re going to do the Riviera this summer.
	Nous allons faire la Côte d’Azur cet été.
do [sth] vtr	(act, take action) (à l’impératif)	faire⇒ vtr
	Don’t just sit there, do something!
	Ne reste pas assis là comme ça, fais quelque chose !
do [sth] vtr	informal (drugs: take) (de la drogue)	prendre⇒ vtr
	You’re acting really strangely; have you been doing drugs?
	Tu es vraiment bizarre ; tu as pris de la drogue ?
do [sb]⇒ vtr	UK, informal, often passive (prosecute) (police)	arrêter⇒ vtr
	The police don’t have enough evidence, so they aren’t going to do Lisa for that burglary after all.
	I heard Mathew’s been done for speeding again.
do [sth] to [sth] vtr + prep	(cause effect on)	faire [qch] à [qch] vtr + prép
	That rugby game has done a lot of damage to the grass.
	Ce match de rugby a fait beaucoup de dégâts à la pelouse.

WordReference English-French Dictionary © 2023:

Verbes à particule done | do
Anglais		Français
have [sth] done vtr phrasal sep	(command)	faire⇒ vtr
		faire en sorte que [qch] soit fait loc v
	Have it done by noon.
	Et fais-le avant midi !
	Et fais en sorte que ça soit fait avant midi !

WordReference English-French Dictionary © 2023:

Formes composées done | do
Anglais		Français
a job well done n	(task that is performed well)	un travail bien fait nm
		Congratulations on a job well done! : Félicitations pour le travail accompli ! interj
	Congratulations on a job well done!
	Félicitations pour le travail accompli !
after all is said and done expr	(ultimately)	en fin de compte loc adv
		au bout du compte loc adv
	After all is said and done, the decision to have a baby is a personal one.
	En fin de compte (or: Au bout du compte), avoir un bébé est un choix personnel.
all done adj	informal (finished)	avoir fini loc v
	When you’re all done with the quiz, please put your pencil down and wait for everyone else to finish.
	Quand vous aurez fini le test, posez vos stylos et attendez que tout le monde ait fini.
all over with, over with, over and done with adj	informal (finished, over)	(bien) fini adj
		fini (pour de bon) adj
	Thank goodness that ordeal is all over with.
	Dieu merci, cette épreuve est bien finie.
	Dieu merci, cette épreuve est finie pour de bon.
almost done adj	informal (nearly finished)	(avoir) presque fini expr
	I’m almost done; give me five more minutes and I’ll join you.
	J’ai presque fini. Donne-moi encore cinq minutes et je te rejoins.
appear to have done [sth] v expr	(person: seem)	croire bien avoir fait [qch] loc v
		avoir bien peur d’avoir fait [qch] loc v
	(plus soutenu)	craindre fort avoir fait [qch] loc v
	I appear to have lost my umbrella.
	Je crois bien avoir perdu mon parapluie.
	J’ai bien peur d’avoir perdu mon parapluie.
	Je crains fort avoir perdu mon parapluie.
been there, done that expr	(have already experienced [sth])	je connais expr
		j’ai donné, j’ai déjà donné expr
	I don’t want to watch a presentation about bankruptcy—been there, done that.
	Je ne veux pas de présentation sur la banqueroute : je connais.
	Je ne veux pas de présentation sur la banqueroute : j’ai donné (or: j’ai déjà donné).
Been there., Been there, done that. interj	informal (I have experienced that.)	Je connais expr
claim to have done [sth] v expr	(achievement: assert)	prétendre avoir fait [qch], certifier avoir fait [qch] loc v
	Weston claimed to have invented a new method for producing copper.
	Weston prétendait avoir inventé une nouvelle méthode pour produire du cuivre.
consider it done interj	informal (agreeing to a request to do [sth])	c’est comme si c’était fait interj
	I know you want the report finished tonight, so just consider it done.
	Vous voulez le rapport avant ce soir : c’est comme si c’était fait !
done deal n	informal ([sth] formally agreed)	affaire conclue nf
		marché conclu nm
	He laid the money on the table and they shook hands. It was a done deal.
be done for v expr	slang (doomed) (familier)	être cuit vi + adj
	(familier)	être fait, être fait comme un rat vi + adj
	(très familier)	être foutu vi + adj
	Unless the rescue helicopter finds us before dark, we’re done for.
	Si les hélicoptères de recherche ne nous trouvent pas avant la nuit, on est cuits.
done in adj	informal (extremely tired) (familier)	crevé, vanné, claqué, rinsé adj
		fatigué, épuisé adj
done up, dolled up adj	slang (made more glamorous)	pomponné, apprêté adj
	And where exactly do you think you’re going, all done up like that?
	Et où est-ce que tu penses aller pomponnée comme ça ?
	(figuré)	sur son trente-et-un loc adj
	Et où est-ce que tu penses aller sur ton trente-et-un comme ça ?
done up adj	informal (clothing: fastened) (vêtement)	fermé adj
		boutonné jusqu’en haut loc adj
	You complain about being cold, but your coat’s not even properly done up.
	Tu te plains d’avoir froid mais ton manteau n’est même pas bien fermé.
be done with [sth/sb], have done with [sth/sb] v expr	slang (had enough, stop) (familier)	en avoir marre de [qch] loc v
	(familier)	en avoir ras le bol de [qch] loc v
	(familier)	en avoir assez de [qch] loc v
be done with doing [sth] v expr	slang (had enough, stop) (familier)	en avoir marre de faire [qch] loc v
	(familier)	en avoir ras le bol de faire [qch] loc v
		en avoir assez de faire [qch] loc v
	I’m done with trying to explain it to you — do what you like, I don’t care!
	J’en ai marre d’essayer de te l’expliquer : fais ce que tu veux, je m’en fiche !
be done with [sb], have done with [sb] v expr	slang (relationship: finish, end) (couple)	avoir rompu avec [qqn] loc v
		ne plus être avec [qqn] loc v
	J’ai rompu avec mon copain.
	Je ne suis plus avec mon copain.
easier said than done adj	(difficult to do)	plus facile à dire qu’à faire
	Losing weight is easier said than done.
	Perdre du poids, c’est plus facile à dire qu’à faire.
get [sth] done⇒ vtr	informal (arrange or cause to have)	faire faire [qch] vtr
	I need to get my car fixed.
	Je dois faire réparer ma voiture.
get [sth] done v expr	informal (accomplish [sth])	faire⇒ vtr
	The layoff will give me some time to get something done around the house.
	Mon licenciement va me permettre d’avoir du temps pour faire des choses dans la maison.
get things done v expr	informal (complete tasks)	être efficace vi + adj
		mener à bien les tâches loc v
		agir⇒ vi
	Jocelyn is known around the office for getting things done.
have [sth] done⇒ vtr	(arrange, cause)	faire faire [qch] vtr
	I need to have my car fixed.
	Je dois faire réparer ma voiture.
I’m done interj	informal (I’m finished eating)	j’ai fini expr
	«I’m done!» the little boy shouted, and leaped out of his chair.
	« J’ai fini ! », s’écria le petit garçon en sautant de sa chaise.
No sooner said than done. expr	(I will do it immediately.)	Aussitôt dit, aussitôt fait. expr
		Sitôt dit, sitôt fait. expr
	No sooner said than done; one sandwich coming up.
	Aussitôt dit, aussitôt fait. Et un sandwich pour vous.
not done adj	(improper, inappropriate)	ne pas se faire⇒ vi
	Blowing your nose at the dining table is simply not done in polite company.
	Ça ne se fait simplement pas de se moucher à table en société.
		pas convenable adj
	Montrer quelqu’un du doigt n’est pas convenable.
be reputed to have done [sth] v expr	(alleged to have done)	à ce qu’on dit, [qqn] a fait…
		on dit que [qqn] a fait…
	The mayoral candidate is reputed to have embezzled funds from his business.
see justice done v expr	(ensure fairness)	équité nf
	(expression)	que justice se fasse expr
	I don’t want revenge; all I want is to see justice done.
	Je ne veux pas de vengeance, je veux juste que justice se fasse.
see what can be done v expr	(try to find solution)	rechercher une solution, voir ce qu’on peut faire loc v
	The mechanic said he’d see what can be done to repair my car.
	Ils n’arrêtent pas de me dire qu’ils vont voir ce qu’ils peuvent faire mais pour l’instant, je ne vois aucun résultat.
well done interj	(congratulations)	bravo interj
		joli interj
	You got an A on the test? Well done!
	Tu as eu 20/20 à ton interrogation : bravo !
well done, well-done adj	(meat: cooked right through)	bien cuit loc adj
Note: A hyphen is used when the adjective precedes the noun.
	I prefer my steak well done because I can’t stand the sight of blood.
	Je préfère mon steak bien cuit parce que je ne supporte pas la vue du sang.
when all is said and done adv	informal (ultimately)	en fin de compte loc adv
	When all’s said and done, you’ve no right to an opinion on this.
		au bout du compte loc adv
		en définitive loc adv

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?