Chancer Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 Whilst learning this great language there are unfortunately many opportunities to slip up with some words that unlike many others do not have the same meaning in both languages. Feel free to add your own or correct mine.To start with:Actuellement means nowadays, for actually use en fait or en realité.Assister means to go to watch an event or similar, for assist or help use aider. Which incidentally is where the international distress signal "Mayday" came from m'aider = help meBugger! I had loads of them but how many can I remember now?Editted: Not bad 794 posts and the first time that the rude word filter has editted my postingLooks like I will have to trot back to the computer each time I remember one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 When I was young and foolish I actually wrote a dictionary of the things. I reckon there are about 5000 of the little nudgers, totally or partially false I mean. Where do you wanna start? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 [quote user="J.R."]Looks like I will have to trot back to the computer each time I remember one! [/quote]library = bibliothèque librairie = bookshopachievement = succèsachèvement = completiondeception = tromperiedéception = disappointment (this one fooled Mr Clair when he read the front page on Sunday's local paper, re rugby semi-final) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samdebretagne Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 One of the most important ones - never forgot that préservatif DOES NOT equal preservative!! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 [quote user="J.R."]Assister means to go to watch an event or similar, for assist or help use aider. Which incidentally is where the international distress signal "Mayday" came from m'aider = help me [/quote]This one is said to have cost Gérard Depardieu an Oscar back in his Green Card days.Being interviewed about his rough youth in the banlieue, he said in French that "il avait assisté à un viol" (he had witnessed a rape). This was translated as "he had helped in a rape", which did not go down too well, as can be imagined... The error in translation was rectified and clarified, but too late for him and his Oscar hopes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 YES IT DOES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 [quote user="samdebretagne"]One of the most important ones - never forgot that préservatif DOES NOT equal preservative!! ;-)[/quote] I will try again. YES IT DOES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted October 16, 2007 Author Share Posted October 16, 2007 [quote user="woolybanana"]When I was young and foolish I actually wrote a dictionary of the things. I reckon there are about 5000 of the little nudgers, totally or partially false I mean. Where do you wanna start?[/quote]Yes I had hundreds in my head but come the moment of posting only 2 could be remembered.One more:Passer un examen = to take an examReussir un examen = to pass an exam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted October 16, 2007 Author Share Posted October 16, 2007 Ah its all coming back to me now!My favorite of all time.Promiscuité = Closeness or lack of privacyExcept in the Peronne WW1 museum where the text was translated to speak about the promiscuity between troops and animals in the trenches!I dont really know the french equivalent, Libertin(e) ou liberté de moeurs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 Eventuellement does not mean eventually - however much you would like it to, it doesn't. everSue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 How about this little lot?http://membres.lycos.fr/jeuxdelettres/HTML/faux_amis/faux_amis.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Not exactly a Faux amis but one that catches me outla moule = musselsle moule = moldI'm pretty sure I've ordered a nice bowl of mold before now [+o(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Again, not exactly a false friend, but one that made me laugh....A friend of mine wanted to tell the french people she was meeting up with that her husband would not be able to make it, as he was at home looking after the the puppy (le chiot).What she actually said was that he couldn't come as he was busy with "la chiotte" ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samdebretagne Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 [quote user="Pierre ZFP"]Not exactly a Faux amis but one that catches me outla moule = musselsle moule = moldI'm pretty sure I've ordered a nice bowl of mold before now [+o(][/quote]Don't worry, it's not THAT kind of mold - it's mold as in the sense of it's something that's used to mold something into a certain shape (such as a cast, cake pan, etc). Plus, you'd never really order just one mussel anyways (which is what just plain old une moule is), so a way to get around is ordering moules, with an S ! That way you avoid having to decide if its masculine or feminine. *S*The other kind of mold is known as moisissure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Ah thank you for that, quite a relief [:D]Probably I would have ordered 'les moules' and been OK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DZ Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Have a look at this very useful list:http://french.about.com/library/fauxamis/blfauxam_a.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted October 20, 2007 Share Posted October 20, 2007 prune = le pruneauplum = la prunegrape = le raisinraisin = le raisin sec[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tegwini Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 Anyone any idea how to say -'you made my day' which my neigbour did when sweeping the 'nipples' (actually acorns which stain the grout) from the terrace - but I am still smiling about this! it did make my day! imagine it!many thankstegwini Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deimos Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 The one that gets me is "10" - as in"Caisse moins de 10 articles" (probably spelt wrong). In English 10 means 10 e.g.5x2=10. Seems in France in the context of purchasing articles it canmean "as many as you like".Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Katie Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 I have been known to get myself in a little bit of troub for getting coeur (sp? heart) and cur muddled up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimportequoi Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 If you want to borrow your neighbour's hosepipe, do not ask for a pipe.[Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted October 21, 2007 Author Share Posted October 21, 2007 I am going to the local Lyceé proffesional again next week to chat with the students in the English class.The last time I visited one asked me "where did you live in Eeengland"I replied in an exaggerated accent "Je viens de la region de Sussex" which came out sounding like a contraction of "sucer sex" hysterical laughter broke out, I knew that I had said something funny but not what, the poor sod couldnt stop laughing especially as his mates kept nudging him and my friend the teacher had to eject him from the class to retain order.She later told me that it was a shame as he was the most motivated to learn English. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 Cul and cou. I asked for bare-necked chickens - cul-nus s'il vous plait. The man looked a bit startled but didn't laugh. By the way, what does belle guele mean? Describing J. Wilkinson - bon pied, belle guele Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 [quote user="Patf"]Cul and cou. I asked for bare-necked chickens - cul-nus s'il vous plait. The man looked a bit startled but didn't laugh. By the way, what does belle guele mean? Describing J. Wilkinson - bon pied, belle guele[/quote]Une belle gueule means he's a pretty boy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Katie Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 I went to the theatre in London in August and, as we were coming out, Johnny was next to me. He is indeed a very pretty boy. Quite striking in looks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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