French-English False Cognates - Faux amis
Liste alphabétique - L
Label vs Label
Label refers to an official label or certification, such as where a product comes from or a guarantee of its quality.
Label is a more general word for any kind of étiquette.
Lac vs Lack
Lac is a large body of water - lake.
Lack is a deficiency or absence - un manque.
Langage vs Language
Langage refers to jargon or other kinds of specialized language.
Language can refer both to le langage and to the more general term la langue.
Laid vs Laid
Laid is an adjective meaning ugly.
Laid is the past tense of the English verb to lay: he laid his briefcase on the table - il a posé son porte-documents sur la table, she was laid on the ground - elle était déposée au sol.
Lame vs Lame
Lame is a noun: strip (of wood or metal), slide (of a microscope), or blade.
Lame is an adjective: boiteux, estropié, faible.
Large vs Large
Large is the French adjective for wide, broad, or expansive. It can also mean generous or ample.
Large is synonomous with big - grand, vaste, gros, important.
Lecture vs Lecture
Lecture refers to reading in all senses of the word.
Lecture indicates a speech on a particular subject, especially for academic purposes: une conférence.
Legs vs Leg
Legs indicates a legacy or bequest.
Legs is the plural of leg - une jambe.
Légume vs Legume
Légume is a vegetable.
Legume is une légumineuse.
Lever/Lèvre vs Lever
Lever means to lift or raise, while une Lèvre = lip.
Lever indicates un levier or une manette.
Libéral vs Liberal
Libéral in politics refers to the ideology of Libéralism, which, generally speaking, believes in individual rights, freedom of thought, limited power, rule of law, market-based policies, and transparent government. The market-based policies in particular tend to be favored by political parties on the right.
Liberal is more or less synonymous with Democratic in the US, which is on the left, politically.
Librairie vs Library
Une Librairie is a bookstore, while Library in French is une bibliothèque.
Lice vs Lice
Lice is fairly archaic; it refers to an arena (entrer en lice - to enter the competition lists) or a female hunting dog.
Lice is the plural of louse = un pou.
Licencier vs License/Licence
Licencier means to make redundant, dismiss, or lay off.
License is a verb: avoir une license pour or acheter la vignette de as well as a noun: un permis or une authorisation. Licence is the British spelling of the noun.
Lime vs Lime
Lime is a semi-false cognate. It can mean a lime or lime tree, but it more commonly refers to a file (metal or nail file).
Lime is un citron vert or, less commonly, une lime.
Limon vs Lemon
Limon refers to alluvium, silt, or stringboard.
Lemon = un citron.
Liqueur vs Liquor
Liqueur is a sweet, flavored alcoholic beverage: J'ai bu une liqueur après le dîner - I drank a cordial after dinner.
Liquor can mean any alcoholic beverage, but most often refers to hard liquor: Liquor is his only vice - L'alcool est son vice unique.
Lit vs Lit
Lit is a bed.
Lit is the past participle of to light: allumer or éclairer.
Littérature vs Literature
Littérature = literature, writing
Literature usually indicates la littérature, but can also refer to documentation or brochures (publicitaires).
Livide vs Livid
Livide = pallid.
Livid means blafard, vilain, furieux, or furibond.
Location vs Location
Location
refers to something that is available for rent, such as a house or car. C'est pour un achat ou pour une location ? - Is it to buy or to rent?
Location indicates the position or placement of someone/something: It's a suitable location for a bakery - C'est une emplacement convenable à une boulangerie.
Logeur vs Lodger
Logeur
is the landlord - the person who rents out rooms, while a Lodger is the opposite - the person who rents/stays in the rooms: locataire, pensionnaire.
Losange vs Lozenge
Losange means diamond (in shape).
Lozenge is une pastille (pour la toux).
Lover vs Lover
Lover = to coil.
Lover = un/e amant/e.
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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.
