Faux amis - C

One of the great things about learning French or English is that many words have the same roots in the Romance languages and English. However, there are also a great many faux amis, or false cognates, which look similar but have different meanings. This is one of the biggest pitfalls for students of French. There are also "semi-false cognates": words that can only sometimes be translated by the similar word in the other language.

This alphabetical list (newest additions) includes hundreds of French-English false cognates, with explanations of what each word means and how it can be correctly translated into the other language. To avoid confusion due to the fact that some of the words are identical in the two languages, the French word is followed by (F) and the English word is followed by (E).


Caméra (F) vs Camera (E)

     Caméra (F) is a movie camera.
     Caméra (E) = un appareil photo.


Canal (F) vs Canal (E)

     Canal (F) can refer to a canal, a channel, or an intermediary.
     Canal (E) = un canal or un conduit.


Candide (F) vs Candid (E)

     Candide (F) means naïve or ingenuous.
     Candid (E) means open or frank: franc, sincère.


Car (F) vs Car (E)

     Car (F) is most often used as a conjunction: because or for. As a noun, it refers to a coach or bus.
     Car (E) is une voiture.


Caractère (F) vs Character (E)

     Caractère (F) refers only to the character or temperament of a person or thing: Cette maison a du caractère - This house has character.
     Character (E) can mean nature/temperament: Education develops character - L'éducation développe le caractère, as well as a fictional character in a book, play, movie, etc.: Romeo is a famous character - Romeo est un personnage célèbre.


Carton (F) vs Carton (E)

     Carton (F) is a semi-false cognate. While it can refer to a box, it can also mean simply cardboard. It can also indicate a target, sketch, or card.
     Carton (E) can be a pot, carton, boîte, brick, or cartouche.


Case (F) vs Case (E)

     Case (F) is a square or a box (e.g., on a form), a compartment, or a hut.
     Case (E) can refer to un cas, un procès, or une valise.


Caution (F) vs Caution (E)

     Caution (F) is a financial term; it can mean guarantee, security, bail, or backing.
     Caution (E) indicates prudence, circonspection, or avertissement.


Cave (F) vs Cave (E)

     Cave (F) = cellar, basement, vault.
     Cave (E) = une caverne, une grotte.


Ceinture (F) vs Century (E)

     Ceinture (F) is a belt.
     Century (E) is un siècle.


Célibataire (F) vs Celibate (E)

     Célibataire (F) as a noun means a bachelor, as an adjective can mean celibate or simply single/unmarried.
     Celibate (E) is the adjective célibataire.


Cent (F) vs Cent (E)

     Cent (F) is the French word for a hundred.
     Cent (E) can be figuratively translated by un sou. Literally, it is one hundredth of a dollar.


Chagrin (F) vs Chagrin (E)

     Chagrin (F) refers to sorrow or grief.
     Chagrin (E) means annoyance or embarrassment: la contrariété, la gêne.


Chaîne (F) vs Chain (E)

     Chaîne (F) can refer to a chain, a production line, a TV channel, or a stereo.
     Chain (E) can be a noun - une chaîne, or a verb - enchaîner.


Chair (F) vs Chair (E)

     Chair (F) means flesh.
     Chair (E) can be une chaise, un fauteuil (armchair), or un siège (seat).


Champ (F) vs Champ (E)

     Champ (F) refers to a field (in all senses), while champs = country(side).
     Champ (E) is an informal abbreviation for champion - un champion.


Chance (F) vs Chance (E)

     Chance (F) means luck.
     Chance (E) refers to un hasard, une possibilité, or une occasion.


Charge (F) vs Charge (E)

     Charge (F) as a noun can mean burden, load, cargo, responsibility. The verb charger means to load or to charge.
     Charge (E) the noun can mean inculpation, accusation, or attaque. The verb to charge can mean accuser or faire payer.


Chat (F) vs Chat (E)

     Chat (F) is the French word for cat.
     Chat (E) is both a noun and a verb: bavarder/bavardage or discuter/discussion.


Chope (F) vs Chop (E)

     Chope (F) is a mug or pint.
     Chop (E) can be a noun - une côtelette, un coup - or a verb - trancher, couper, hacher.


Choir (F) vs Choir (E)

     Choir (F) is an old-fashioned or archaic verb which means to fall.
     Choir (E) indicates un choeur or une chorale.


Christian (F) vs Christian (E)

     Christian (F) is a masculine French name (learn more), while
     Christian (E) = (un) chrétien (not capitalized).


Chute (F) vs Chute (E)

     Chute (F) refers to a fall, loss, collapse, or failure.
     Chute (E) is une glissière.

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