French False Friends That Trip Up English Speakers
French and English share many words that look identical but mean something different. Learn the most common false friends, with clear examples and fixes.
Devoir vs Falloir: French “Must” and “Have To”
Devoir and falloir both express obligation in French, but one is personal and one is impersonal. Learn the rule, with examples, conjugations, and traps.
Y vs En: French Pronouns That Replace Prepositional Phrases
Y and en are two of the trickiest French pronouns because they replace whole prepositional phrases. Learn when each applies, with examples and a chart.
French Subjunctive Triggers: When to Use the Subjonctif
French subjunctive is triggered by specific verbs and conjunctions, not by feeling uncertain about grammar. Learn the trigger categories, with examples.
Ce que vs Ce qui: French Relative Pronoun Rule
Ce que and ce qui both translate as “what” inside a French sentence, but the choice depends on subject versus object. Learn the test, with examples.
Quel vs Que vs Qu’est-ce que: French Question Words
Quel, que, and qu’est-ce que all can mean “what” in French, but they’re grammatically different. Learn which to use, with examples and a clear test.
Aller vs Venir: French “Go” and “Come” Rules
Aller and venir both translate to English motion verbs, but French keeps them strictly perspective-based. Learn the rule, plus venir de for recent past.
Du, De la, Des vs Le, La, Les: French Article Rules
Du, de la, and des mean “some” while le, la, and les mean “the” — but French uses definite articles far more often than English expects. Learn the rule.
Amener, Emmener, Apporter, Emporter: French “Bring” and “Take”
French has four different verbs for “bring” and “take” depending on whether you mean a person or a thing. Learn the rule, with examples and a chart.
Depuis vs Pendant vs Il y a: French Time Prepositions
Depuis, pendant, and il y a all touch on time in French but work completely differently. Learn the tense rules and the traps, with clear examples.
