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French LanguageEasy

False Friends in the French Language

"Eventually" doesn't mean "éventuellement", and "library" isn't a librairie. Test yourself on the traps that fool 90% of bilingual French speakers, from "sensible" to "assister à".

15

Questions

2

Minutes

Tip: Use keys 1-4 to answer quickly

The 15 quiz questions

Question 1 : The French verb "décevoir" means in English:

Possible answers:

  • Deceive
  • Disappoint
  • Believe
  • Receive

Explanation: "Décevoir" (to cause disappointment) translates to "disappoint". "To deceive" in English means "to trick" or "to dupe", a very different meaning!

Question 2 : What does the English word "library" mean?

Possible answers:

  • A library
  • A book
  • A reading
  • A bookstore

Explanation: "Library" is a false friend: it means a place where books are borrowed (bibliothèque), not a bookstore (librairie in French).

Question 3 : The French word "résumer" translates to:

Possible answers:

  • Summarize
  • Assume
  • Presume
  • Resume

Explanation: "Résumer" (to make a summary) translates to "summarize" in English. "To resume" means "to continue" or "to restart"! The CV is called a "résumé" in American English.

Question 4 : "Assister à un concert" (in French) translates to English as:

Possible answers:

  • Attend a concert
  • Help a concert
  • Assist a concert
  • Watch a concert

Explanation: "Assister à" in French means "to be present at" and translates to "attend". "To assist" in English means "to help"! This confusion is very common.

Question 5 : In French, "prétendre" mainly means:

Possible answers:

  • Mentir
  • Imaginer
  • Affirmer, soutenir
  • Faire semblant

Explanation: In French, "prétendre" means "to claim, to assert something". In English, "to pretend" means "to fake". Two very different meanings!

Question 6 : What does "éventuellement" mean in French?

Possible answers:

  • Toujours
  • Finalement
  • Peut-être
  • Certainement

Explanation: Unlike English "eventually" (in the end), "éventuellement" in French means "possibly, if the occasion arises".

Question 7 : What is the difference between "amener" and "emmener"?

Possible answers:

  • Nombre de personnes
  • No difference
  • Type de transport
  • Direction of movement

Explanation: "Amener" means to bring someone to where you are, while "emmener" means to take someone with you away from a place.

Question 8 : What does "sensible" mean in French (unlike in English)?

Possible answers:

  • Intelligent
  • Emotional/Sensitive
  • Reasonable
  • Logical

Explanation: In French, "sensible" means "sensitive, easily moved by emotions", whereas in English "sensible" means "reasonable".

Question 9 : Which is correct in French: "Je me rappelle DE cet événement" or "Je me rappelle cet événement"?

Possible answers:

  • With DE
  • Without DE
  • It depends on context
  • Both are correct

Explanation: "Se rappeler" is a direct transitive verb: you say "Je me rappelle cet événement" (without DE). "Se souvenir" takes DE: "Je me souviens DE cet événement".

Question 10 : What does "actuellement" mean in French?

Possible answers:

  • Really/Truly
  • Really
  • Actually
  • At this moment

Explanation: "Actuellement" means "at the moment, currently" and not "really" like the English "actually".

Question 11 : Which is the correct French spelling: "balade" or "ballade"?

Possible answers:

  • Both depending on meaning
  • Neither is correct
  • Always "ballade"
  • Always "balade"

Explanation: "Balade" (one L) = a walk, a stroll. "Ballade" (two L's) = a poem or a song. Both exist but have different meanings.

Question 12 : What does "bénéfice" mean in French compared to "benefit" in English?

Possible answers:

  • Social assistance
  • General advantage
  • Financial gain/Profit
  • Gift

Explanation: In French, "bénéfice" mainly refers to financial profit, whereas in English "benefit" generally means "advantage".

Question 13 : What does "attendre" mean in French?

Possible answers:

  • To attend
  • To wait
  • To participate
  • To take care of

Explanation: "Attendre" in French means "to wait for someone/something", unlike the English "attend" which means "to be present at".

Question 14 : Are "entrée" and "entry" false friends?

Possible answers:

  • Yes, opposite meanings
  • Yes, completely different
  • Partially, culinary sense
  • No, same meaning

Explanation: Partially: "entrée" in French can mean a starter dish, a meaning that "entry" does not have in English.

Question 15 : What does "préservatif" mean in French?

Possible answers:

  • Condom
  • Food preservative
  • Preserving agent
  • General protection

Explanation: "Préservatif" in French means a condom, whereas in English "preservative" refers to a food additive.

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False Friends in the French Language - Easy Quiz | QuizFury