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).

éducation (F) vs education (E)

     éducation (F) usually refers to education at home: upbringing, manners.
     education (E) is a general term for formal learning = instruction, enseignement.

éligible (F) vs eligible (E)

     éligible (F) means eligible only for membership or an elected office.
     eligible (E) is a much more general term: éligible or admissible. To be eligible = avoir droit à, remplir/satisfaire les conditions requises pour.

émail (F) vs email (E)

     émail (F) refers to enamel.
     email (E) is often translated as un email, but the accepted French term is un courriel (learn more).

embarras (F) vs embarrass (E)

     embarras (F) indicates trouble or confusion as well as embarrassment.

     embarrass (E) is a verb: embarrasser, gêner.

embrasser (F) vs embrace (E)

     embrasser (F) means to kiss, or can be used formally to mean to espouse.
     embrace (E) means étreindre or enlacer.

émergence (F) vs emergency (E)

     émergence (F) is the equivalent of the English words emergence or source.
     emergency (E) is un cas urgent or un imprévu.

employer (F) vs employer (E)

     employer (F) is a verb - to use, employ.
     employer (E) is a noun - un patron, un employeur.

enchanté (F) vs enchanted (E)

     enchanté (F) means enchanted or delighted, and is most commonly used upon meeting someone, the way "It's nice to meet you" is used in English.
     enchanted (E) = enchanté, but the English word is much less common than the French.

enfant (F) vs Infant (E)

     enfant (F) means child.
     Infant (E) refers to un nouveau-né or un bébé.

engagement (F) vs Engagement (E)

     engagement (F) has many meanings: commitment, promise, agreement; (finance) investing, liabilities; (negotiations) opening, start; (sports) kick-off; (contest) entry. It never means a marital engagement.
     engagement (E) usually indicates one's engagement to be married: les fiançailles. It can also refer to un rendez-vous or une obligation.

engrosser (F) vs engross (E)

     engrosser (F) is a familiar verb meaning to knock up, get someone pregnant.
     engross (E) means absorber, captiver.

enthousiaste (F) vs enthusiast (E)

     enthousiaste (F) can be a noun - enthusiast, or an adjective - enthusiastic.
     enthusiast (E) is only a noun - enthousiaste.

entrée (F) vs entrée (E)

     entrée (F) is another word for hors-d'oeuvre; an appetizer.
     entrée (E) refers to the main course of a meal: le plat principal.

envie (F) vs envy (E)

     envie (F) "Avoir envie de" means to want or to feel like something: Je n'ai pas envie de travailler - I don't want to work (feel like working). The verb envier, however, does mean to envy.
     envy (E) means to be jealous or desirous of something belonging to another. The French verb is envier: I envy John's courage - J'envie le courage à Jean.