Faux Amis — False Friends at A2

False Friends You'll Meet at A2

At A2 you read more French and hit a new set of faux amis. These are trickier because they appear in everyday contexts.

assister à — to attend ≠ to assist
sensible — sensitive ≠ sensible
sympathique — friendly/nice ≠ sympathetic
Don't trust looks — always check meaning in context.

Faux Amis Cluster 1 — Feelings and Character

False friends about people and personalities.

sensible — sensitive (NOT sensible — use raisonnable / sensé)
sympathique — friendly / nice (NOT sympathetic — use compatissant)
décevoir — to disappoint (NOT to deceive — use tromper)
blesser — to injure (NOT to bless — use bénir)

Faux Amis Cluster 2 — Places and Objects

False friends in everyday environments.

la pièce — room OR coin (NOT piece/bit — use morceau)
le collège — secondary school (NOT college/university — use université)
le lycée — sixth-form / high school (NOT lycée)
le journal — newspaper / diary (NOT journal as diary always — both OK)

Faux Amis Cluster 3 — Actions

Verbs that trap English speakers.

demander — to ask (NOT to demand — use exiger)
introduire — to insert / put in (NOT to introduce a person — use présenter)
prétendre — to claim / to maintain (NOT to pretend — use faire semblant)
réaliser — to carry out / to achieve (NOT to realise mentally — use se rendre compte)

Faux Amis Cluster 4 — Everyday Mix

Mixed set of common A2 traps.

éventuellement — possibly / perhaps (NOT eventually — use finalement)
large — wide (NOT large as size — use grand)
sensé — sensible / rational (NOT sensitive — use sensible)
urgent — (same meaning — NOT an error, but note: les urgences = A&E in hospital)
les chips — crisps (NOT chips as in chips = les frites)

Quick Summary Table

A2 faux amis at a glance.

Faux ami	French meaning	Looks like	Correct French
sensible	sensitive	sensible	raisonnable
sympathique	friendly/nice	sympathetic	compatissant
décevoir	to disappoint	to deceive	tromper
demander	to ask	to demand	exiger
éventuellement	possibly	eventually	finalement
large	wide	large (big)	grand
prétendre	to claim	to pretend	faire semblant
réaliser	to carry out	to realise	se rendre compte

Common Mistakes

Avoid	Use	Why
She is very sensitive	Elle est très sensible	sensible in French = sensitive, not sensible.
He is friendly / nice	Il est sympathique	sympathique = nice/friendly, not sympathetic.
I'll ask the teacher	Je demanderai au professeur	demander = to ask (not demand).
eventually	finalement	éventuellement = possibly; eventually = finalement.

Summary

Point	Form	Example
sensible	sensitive (not 'sensible')	Elle est sensible à la critique.
raisonnable	sensible/reasonable	Sois raisonnable !
sympathique	friendly/nice (not sympathetic)	Il est très sympathique.
décevoir	to disappoint (not deceive)	Ce film m'a déçu.
demander	to ask (not demand)	Je lui ai demandé l'heure.
éventuellement	possibly (not eventually)	Je pourrai éventuellement venir.
large	wide (not large/big)	La rue est très large.
prétendre	to claim (not pretend)	Il prétend être médecin.