Speed Up Your French: Strategies to avoid common errors (2016)
Chapter 3. Mastering false friends: nouns
False friends (Part 2)
44 Lecture
La lecture means ‘reading’.
La lecture à voix haute nous plaît beaucoup.
(We very much like reading aloud.)
However, if you want to say ‘lecture’, use une conférence for a public lecture or un cours for a lecture given at university.
Hier soir nous avons assisté à une conférence sur la musique contemporaine.
(Last night, we attended a lecture about contemporary music.)
J’ai un cours d’informatique à dix heures.
(I have a computing lecture at 10 o’clock.)
45 Libraire
Un / une libraire is ‘a bookseller’.
Ce libraire a le sens des affaires.
(This bookseller is a good businessman.)
However, if you want to say ‘librarian’, use un / une bibliothécaire.
Elle travaille comme bibliothécaire à l’université.
(She works as a librarian at the university.)
46 Librairie
Une librairie is ‘a bookshop’.
Il aime flâner dans des librairies de livres anciens, mais il n’y achète jamais rien.
(He likes browsing in antiquarian bookshops, but he never buys anything there.)
However, if you want to say ‘library’, use une bibliothèque.
Il y a moins de bibliothèques publiques en France qu’en Grande-Bretagne.
(There are fewer public libraries in France than in Great Britain.)
47 Licence
Une licence is a French university degree awarded after a year’s study following the DEUG (diplôme d’études générales universitaires) or DEUST (diplôme d’études universitaires scientifiques et techniques).
Elle prépare une licence en espagnol.
(She is doing a degree in Spanish.)
However, if you want to say ‘licence’, meaning permit, use le permis.
Il s’est fait retirer son permis de conduire.
(He has had his driving licence taken away from him.)
48 Location
La location means ‘renting’, ‘rented accommodation’, ‘hire’ or ‘booking’.
Nous cherchons une location à Nice pour les vacances.
(We’re looking for rented accommodation in Nice for the holidays.)
La location des places pour le festival d’Aix est déjà ouverte.
(Booking for the Aix festival is already open.)
However, if you want to say ‘location’, use un emplacement.
Ce n’est pas l’emplacement idéal pour la tente, mais tant pis.
(It’s not the ideal location for the tent, but never mind.)
49 Logeur
Un logeur / une logeuse is ‘a landlord / landlady’.
Un logeur ou une logeuse est une personne qui loue des chambres meublées.
(A landlord or landlady is someone who rents out furnished rooms.)
However, if you want to say ‘lodger’, meaning ‘tenant’, use un / une locataire for someone who simply rents a room, but use un / une pensionnaire for someone who also pays for meals.
Elle a une chambre à louer et cherche un locataire.
(She has a room to rent and is looking for a lodger.)
50 Luxure
Luxure (f.) means ‘lust’.
La luxure est l’un des péchés mortels.
(Lust is one of the mortal sins.)
However, if you want to say ‘luxury’, use le luxe.
Ils vivent dans le luxe.
(They live in luxury.)
Mnemonic device
The adjectival phrase de luxe (luxury), as in une boutique de luxe (a luxury boutique), will help you to remember that the word for luxury is le luxe.
51 Misère
La misère is ‘extreme poverty’ or ‘destitution’.
Son mari prodigue l’a réduite à la misère.
(Her spendthrift husband has reduced her to poverty.)
However, if you want to say ‘misery’, use la souffrance.
Elle a une vie de souffrance.
(She leads a life of misery.)
* Learn the expression: acheter quelque chose pour une misère (to buy something for a pittance / for a song).
52 Monnaie
La monnaie means ‘currency’ or ‘change’.
Le franc suisse est une monnaie forte.
(The Swiss franc is a strong currency.)
Est-ce que vous pouvez me faire la monnaie de 20 euros.
(Can you give me change for 20 euros?)
However, if you want to say ‘money’, use l’argent (m.).
Il en veut pour son argent.
(He wants his money’s worth.)
53 Motoriste
Un / une motoriste is ‘a car mechanic’.
Il travaille comme motoriste.
(He works as a car mechanic.)
However, if you want to say ‘motorist’, use un / une automobiliste.
À la suite de l’accident, l’automobiliste a subi un alcootest.
(Following the accident, the motorist was breathalysed.)
54 Patron
Un patron is ‘a manager’ or ‘a boss’.
Il aime être son propre patron.
(He likes to be his own boss.)
However, if you want to say ‘patron’, use un mécène for someone who supports the arts and un client for a customer.
Ce jeune artiste bénéficie du soutien d’un mécène anonyme.
(This young artist benefits from the support of an anonymous patron.)
Cette boutique de luxe attire des clients cossus.
(This luxury boutique attracts well-off patrons / customers.)
55 Pétrole
Le pétrole is ‘crude oil’.
On vient de fermer cette raffinerie de pétrole.
(This oil refinery has just been closed.)
However, if you want to say ‘petrol’, use l’essence (f.).
Le prix de l’essence a encore augmenté.
(The price of petrol has gone up again.)
56 Pétulance
Pétulance (f.) means ‘exuberance’.
La pétulance de son petit-fils le fait sourire.
(The exuberance of his grandson makes him smile.)
However, if you want to say ‘petulance’, use l’irascibilité (f.) or l’irritabilité (f.).
Son irascibilité / irritabilité la rend difficile à vivre.
(Her petulance makes her difficult to live with.)
57 Physicien
Un physicien means ‘a physicist’.
C’est un physicien nucléaire.
(He is a nuclear physicist.)
However, if you want to say ‘physician’, use un médecin.
Les médecins ont découvert qu’il était diabétique.
(The physicians diagnosed him as a diabetic.)
58 Politicien
Un politicien is a pejorative word for ‘a politician’.
Ce politicien a la réputation d’être fourbe.
(This politician has a reputation for cunning.)
However, if you want a neutral word for ‘politician’, use un homme / une femme politique.
En tant qu’homme politique il a passé 30 ans de sa vie au service de la communauté.
(As a politician, he has spent 30 years of his life in service to the community.)
59 Préjudice
Préjudice (m.) means ‘harm’ or ‘detriment’ caused to someone’s rights or interests.
Les actions de son frère lui ont porté préjudice.
(The actions of his brother caused him harm.)
J’ai accepté ce compromis au préjudice de ma famille.
(I agreed to this compromise to the detriment of my family.)
However, if you want to say ‘prejudice’, use le préjugé.
Il a des préjugés contre les travailleurs immigrés.
(He is prejudiced against immigrant workers.)
* Note that un préjugé is a noun, not an adjective. If you want to say ‘prejudiced’ in French, use avoir des préjugés contre (against) or en faveur de (in favour of).
60 Préservatif
Un préservatif means ‘a condom’.
L’usage d’un préservatif protège contre les MST.
(Use of a condom protects against STDs.)
However, if you want to say ‘preservative’, use un agent de conservation.
Il faut se méfier des agents de conservation dont les plats cuisinés sont remplis.
(You have to watch out for the preservatives that ready meals are full of.)
61 Procès
Un procès means ‘a trial’ or ‘a lawsuit’.
Il a dû subir un procès médiatique.
(He had to undergo a trial by media.)
Par suite d’une dispute familiale, ils sont en procès avec leurs cousins.
(Due to a family disagreement, they are involved in a lawsuit with their cousins.)
However, if you want to say ‘process’, use le processus in general, or le procédé for a particular technique.
Le processus biologique de la digestion est intéressant à étudier.
(The biological process of digestion is interesting to study.)
On a mis au point un procédé chirurgical révolutionnaire.
(A revolutionary surgical process / technique has been developed.)
* Note the very common expression: être en train de faire quelque chose (to be in the process of doing something).
62 Rente
Rente (f.) is income earned from private means such as investment, rather than from employment.
Il ne travaille plus; il vit de ses rentes.
(He doesn’t work any more; he lives on his private income.)
However, if you want to say ‘rent’ on property, use le loyer.
J’ai dû payer deux mois de loyer à l’avance.
(I had to pay two months’ rent in advance.)
63 Rétribution
Une rétribution means ‘a remuneration’ or ‘reward’.
Ils ont demandé une rétribution en reconnaissance de leurs efforts.
(They asked for remuneration / reward in recognition of their efforts.)
However, if you want to say ‘retribution’ or ‘punishment,’ use le châtiment for the former and la punition for the latter.
C’est le juste châtiment pour ce crime.
(It is the just retribution for this crime.)
Comme punition tu seras privé de dessert ce soir.
(As a punishment, you will go without pudding tonight.)
64 Rudesse
La rudesse means ‘harshness’ or ‘severity’.
La rudesse de l’hiver à la campagne les a pris au dépourvu.
(The harshness / severity of winter in the countryside took them by surprise.)
However, if you want to say ‘rudeness’, use impolitesse (f.).
Rien n’excuse leur impolitesse.
(There’s no excuse for their rudeness.)
65 Scientiste
Un / une scientiste means ‘a follower of scientism’.
However, if you want to say ‘scientist’, use un / une scientifique.
Il n’y a pas assez de dialogue entre les scientifiques et les littéraires.
(There isn’t enough dialogue between scientists and arts specialists.)
* Note that scientifique is also an adjective, meaning ‘scientific’.
66 Square
Un square is ‘a small public garden’, often found in the middle of a square and surrounded by railings.
Les enfants jouaient dans le square.
(The children were playing in the small public garden.)
However, if you want to say ‘square’, use la place.
La foire se tiendra sur la place du marché.
(The fair will be held in the market square.)
67 Stage
Un stage means ‘a period of training’ or ‘work experience’.
Elle fait un stage non rémunéré en entreprise.
(She is doing some unpaid work experience in a company.)
However, if you want to say ‘stage’, use un stade or une phase for a stage in a process and une étape for a stage on a journey. For the theatrical stage, use la scène.
La première phase / Le premier stade d’un processus est souvent difficile.
(The first stage of a process is often difficult.)
Elle a été en scène pendant deux heures.
(She was on stage for two hours.)
* If you follow the Tour de France, you will become familiar with the word, une étape, for a stage of the race.
68 Studio
Un studio usually means ‘a small flat’. It can also be ‘a broadcasting studio for television or radio’.
Elle a loué un studio à Paris pour un mois plutôt que de payer une chambre d’hôtel.
(She has rented a small flat in Paris for a month rather than paying for a hotel room.)
La chanson a été enregistrée en studio.
(The song was recorded in the studio.)
However, if you mean ‘the studio of a painter’, use un atelier.
Il lui faut un vaste atelier pour ses toiles.
(He needs a very big studio for his canvases.)
69 Trouble
Trouble (m.) means ‘unrest’ or ‘confusion’. It can also mean ‘emotion’ or a ‘medical disorder’.
Son discours a produit un certain trouble dans l’assemblée.
(His speech caused some unrest among those present.)
Il faut dominer son trouble et essayer de s’exprimer clairement.
(You have to overcome your confusion and try to express yourself clearly.)
Elle ne veut pas trahir le trouble qu’elle ressent en sa présence.
(She doesn’t want to give away the emotion she feels in his presence.)
Les troubles du sommeil sont difficiles à traiter.
(Sleep disorders are difficult to treat.)
However, if you want to say ‘trouble’, meaning ‘inconvenience’ or ‘difficulty’, use la peine or la difficulté.
Cela n’en vaut pas la peine.
(It’s not worth the trouble.)
Cette entreprise a des difficultés financières.
(This firm is in financial trouble.)
70 Venue
Une venue is ‘a visit’ or ‘an arrival’. La venue au monde means ‘birth’.
Nous attendons la venue de nos invités.
(We are awaiting the arrival / visit of our guests.)
La venue au monde de leur petit-fils les a remplis de joie.
(The birth of their grandson gave them great joy.)
However, if you want to say ‘venue’, use le lieu.
On a annoncé un changement de lieu pour la réunion.
(A change of venue for the meeting has been announced.)
71 Vers
Un vers means ‘a single line of verse’.
Un alexandrin est un vers de douze syllabes.
(An alexandrine is a line of twelve syllables.)
However, if you want to say ‘verse’, meaning ‘poetry’, use la poésie. For a verse, meaning ‘a stanza’, use une strophe.
Elle aime faire de la poésie.
(She likes writing verse.)
La première strophe de ce poème se compose de 6 vers.
(The first verse / stanza of this poem is made up of 6 lines.)
72 Veste
Une veste means ‘a jacket’.
Cette veste jure avec mon pantalon.
(This jacket clashes with my trousers.)
However, if you want to say ‘vest’, use un maillot de corps.
Un maillot de corps est un sous-vêtement indispensable en hiver.
(A vest is a vital undergarment in winter.)