French-English False Cognates - Faux amis
Liste alphabétique - B
Bachelier vs Bachelor
Bachelier refers to a person who has passed the bac. Feminine - une bachelière.
Bachelor = un célibataire
Bail vs Bail
Bail is a lease; the plural is Baux.
Bail is une caution, on bail is sous caution.
Balance vs Balance
Balance is a pair of scales or weighing machine. It can also refer to an economic balance.
Balance can be all of the above, plus équilibre or aplomb.
Ballot vs Ballot
Ballot
means a bundle or package while Ballot refers to a bulletin de vote (the paper upon which one votes) or a scrutin (the method of voting).
Basque vs Basque
Basque refers to the tails of a tuxedo jacket. In both French and English, Basque also refers to Basque country as well as its people and language.
Basque = une guêpière.
Bât vs Bat
Bât is a packsaddle. It's also found in the figurative expression C'est là où le bât blesse - There's the rub.
Bat is une chauve-souris, une batte, or une raquette.
Batterie vs Battery
Batterie is a semi-false cognate. It is equivalent to the English word in all senses, but it can also refer to a set of drums or the percussion instruments in a band.
Battery refers to an electrical device that provides power as well as military weapons: a battery of artillery - une batterie de canons.
Biais vs Bias
Biais is a general term for way or means, and can also mean angle in the sense of looking at an issue from a particular angle. Par le biais de - through, by means of. Le biais = bias only when referring to fabric (coupé dans le biais - cut on the bias).
Bias = tendance, inclination, penchant, préjugé.
Bigot vs Bigot
Bigot as an adjective means sanctimonious or holier-than-thou. As a noun = person who is sanctimonious or holier-than-thou.
Bigot is equivalent to fanatique or sectaire.
Black vs Black
Black is an informal noun/adjective for black people: un/e black - a black person, la musique black - black music.
Black = noir.
Blanc vs Blank
Blanc is a semi-false cognate. It is usually the French word for the color white but can in some instances be translated by blank: une feuille blanche - a blank sheet of paper.
Blank is an adjective meaning blanc, vierge, or vide.
Blesser vs Bless
Blesser means to wound, injure, or offend.
Bless means bénir.
Blinder vs Blinder/Blind
Blinder means to armor or to shore up. Informally, it means to harden or make immune. Familiarly, it means to get drunk.
Blinder is une oeillère. Blind means aveugle.
Bond vs Bond
Bond refers to a leap or jump. Bondir - to jump.
Bond can mean un engagement, une obligation, or un lien. To bond - coller.
Bout vs Bout
Bout means end, tip, or bit.
Bout refers to une crise (de rheumatisme) or un combat.
Bras vs Bras
Bras is an arm.
Bras is the plural of bra - soutien-gorge.
Brave vs Brave
Brave means brave when it follows the noun it modifies, but good or decent when it precedes it.
Position of adjectives
Brave = brave or, more commonly, courageux.
Bribe vs Bribe
Bribe refers to a bit or scrap of something.
Bribe as a noun is un pot-de-vin, to bribe = acheter (le silence de) quelqu'un, suborner, soudoyer.
Bride vs Bride
Une bride refers to a bridle.
Bride is une mariée.
Bureau vs Bureau
Bureau is a semi-false cognate. It can refer to a desk or an office, as well as a department: Bureau européen de l'environnement - European Environment Office.
Bureau can also mean a certain department, especially in government. In British English, a bureau has the same sense of desk as in French, but in American English a bureau is a chest of drawers: commode.
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Disclaimer: The words that I have chosen to discuss are not explained in every possible context. There may be occasions where the French and English mean the same thing. I have chosen word pairs that are usually not related by anything other than spelling. For complete definitions and more extensive examples, please consult a dictionary.
