Common mistakes
French false friends in context: read the whole sentence
Choose the French meaning of actuellement, sensible, librairie and other lookalikes. Learn the word you need instead, with pictures and a quiz.
- A2
- 8 corrections
- Examples and fixes
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In short
Look at what happens in the sentence. In Je vais à la librairie acheter un roman, buying a novel points to a bookshop. Learn that French meaning together with the French word for the English idea: a library is une bibliothèque.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learnRed watch out
- une librairiea librarya bookshop
Cette librairie vend des romans.This bookshop sells novels.
For a library, use une bibliothèque.
- actuellementactually, when correcting a misunderstandingcurrently, at present
Actuellement, je travaille à Lyon.I currently work in Lyon.
For “actually, in fact”, use en fait.
- une locationa geographical locationa rental
Nous cherchons une location pour les vacances.We are looking for a holiday rental.
For a place, use un lieu or un endroit.
- sensiblesensible, showing good judgementsensitive
Je suis sensible au bruit.I am sensitive to noise.
For a sensible decision, use une décision raisonnable.
- assister àto assist, meaning to helpto attend
Elle assiste au concert.She is attending the concert.
For helping someone, use aider quelqu’un.
- attendreto attend an eventto wait for
J’attends mon ami devant le cinéma.I am waiting for my friend outside the cinema.
To attend a concert, use assister à un concert.
- sympathiquesympathetic, expressing understandingnice, friendly
Ma voisine est très sympathique.My neighbour is very friendly.
For understanding towards someone, use compréhensif or compréhensive.
- une vestea vest worn as underwear in British Englisha jacket
Je mets ma veste pour sortir.I put on my jacket to go out.
For a sleeveless undershirt, use un débardeur.
Give each noun its own picture
Find:
Keep the construction with the meaning: assister à gives j’assiste au concert, while attendre takes the person directly: j’attends mon ami. For sensible au bruit, the words after the adjective name what affects the person. These small phrases help you recover the meaning when the word looks familiar.