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Common English mistakes that French speakers make

During our many years, we had the opportunity to teach English to many French speakers, and even though French and English share a lot of vocabulary, how the words are used, pronounced and spelled is very different.

In this article, we’ll look at some of the most common mistakes French speakers make when learning English and give tips on how to fix them.

Pronunciation

‘TH’ sound

In French, the ‘th’ sound doesn’t exist. So when they see it in words in English, they tend to pronounce it like a ‘z’ or a hard ‘t’. For example:

● ‘This’ can sound like ‘zis’

● ‘Think’ can sound like ‘tink’

In English, the ‘th’ sound is made by putting your tongue between your teeth. Learn how to make the sound here:


The letter ‘H’

The letter ‘h’ causes problems because it’s not pronounced in French. They call it ‘le h muet’. This leads to two common mistakes:

● Not pronouncing it when you should
   Hospital becomes ‘ospital’
   hotel becomes ‘otel’

● Overemphasising it

In English, the ‘H’ at the start of words like hotel, hospital, hot, hat, happy, hurricane and help must be pronounced.

The letter ‘R’

The French ‘r’ is very different from the English one. In French, r is rolled or pronounced from the back of the throat (erre). In English, it’s softer and made further forward in the mouth.
 
For example:
 
      ● French: rouge (with a guttural ‘r’)
 
      ● English: red (with a smooth, soft ‘r’)
 
Practising this difference will help you sound clearer when speaking English.

The letter ‘I’

In French, the letter i is always pronounced like ‘ee’. In English, ‘i’ has different pronunciations depending on the word:
 
    ● ‘i’ in ship → short sound /ɪ/
 
    ● ‘i’ in climate → long sound /aɪ/
 
    ● ‘i’ in idea → /aɪ/ sound
 
    ● ‘i’ in city → short sound /ɪ/
 
Learning the different English pronunciations of ‘i’ will help you avoid confusion

Vocabulary

Faux amis or False Friends

When two languages share many words, but they don’t mean the same thing they are called false friends (faux amis). French and English have quite a few of these and they can cause some misunderstandings. Here are some examples:

    ● attendre ≠ attend → attendre means to wait in French. To attend in English means to be there at an event or a party
 
    ● actuellement ≠ actually → actuellement means currently in French. In English, actually is used to emphasise something that is a fact or a truth.
 
     ● normalement ≠ normally → normalement means supposed to / should be in French. In English, normally is when something is habitual.
 
     ● sensible ≠ sensible → in French, sensible means sensitive. Sensible in English can have multiple meanings, but it’s used to mean that something is done in a logical way.
 
     ● passer un examen ≠ to pass an exam → in French, this means to take an exam. To pass an exam in English means that you were successful and didn’t fail it.
 
These mistakes can change the meaning of your sentence, so it’s important to watch out for them!

Grammar

Is table masculine or feminine?

In French, every object is either masculine or feminine. This can cause problems in English, where objects are gender neutral. For example:
 
❌  The plant, she is very pretty. [trans:La plante, elle est belle.]
✅ The plant is very pretty.
 
❌ The pen, he’s functional. [trans: Le stylo, il est fonctionnel.]
✅ The pen is functional.
 
In English, only people and some animals use ‘he’ or ‘she’. Objects are always ‘it’.

Adjectives

In French, the adjective usually comes after the noun. In English, it’s the opposite—the adjective comes before the noun.

✅ A red car
❌ A car red (trans. une voiture rouge)
 
✅ A happy dog
❌ A dog happy (trans. un chien heureux)
 
✅ A smart student
❌ A student smart (trans. un étudiant intelligent)
 
This difference can take practice, but it’s important for sounding natural in English.

Prepositions: ‘to’ and ‘at’

French speakers often confuse to and at, because in French the preposition ‘à’ can mean both.
 
There’s an easy way for you to remember which preposition you should use when:
 
     ● Use to when you are going towards a place
For example: I’m going to the office. I go to school.
 
     ● Use at when you are talking about being in a location
For example: I’m at the office. I’m at the gym.

Final Thoughts

Learning English as a French speaker has its challenges – from pronunciation to grammar and vocabulary. But by recognising these common mistakes, you can improve quickly and feel more confident when you speak.
 
At Speak Up London, our teachers understand the difficulties French speakers face and are here to help you overcome them every day.
 
 
 
Author: Speak Up London team
 

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keila nunes
4 days ago

Nessa escola estou de fato aprendo a falar inglês, já tinha estudando em outro e infelizmente não conseguia destravar a fala.

Alexandre
4 days ago

Speak up London it's a nice place to improve you English. I recommend you

Debora Lemos
5 days ago

I came to the School through Carla, who is an excellent professional. I have known her for 8 months, and I can only thank her for care and attention. I am very happy with the school I have recommended it to my friends. I want to study until my English is good. I am in love with the school and I am grateful to Carla for introducing me this lovely school.

Search

Category

Recent Posts​

Tag

Reviews

keila nunes
4 days ago

Nessa escola estou de fato aprendo a falar inglês, já tinha estudando em outro e infelizmente não conseguia destravar a fala.

Alexandre
4 days ago

Speak up London it's a nice place to improve you English. I recommend you

Debora Lemos
5 days ago

I came to the School through Carla, who is an excellent professional. I have known her for 8 months, and I can only thank her for care and attention. I am very happy with the school I have recommended it to my friends. I want to study until my English is good. I am in love with the school and I am grateful to Carla for introducing me this lovely school.