10 mistakes anglophones make in French

Part 1: Les erreurs les plus courantes qui viennent de l'anglais

Recently, I published a very detailed article on French for Spanish speakers, outlining the most important differences between French and Spanish, and the most common mistakes to avoid.

A few readers asked me if I could do the same for anglophones learning French. Today’s instalment will be the first one in a new series outlining common mistakes made in French when literally translating from English (because the logic of English often doesn’t translate.)

Le français pour les hispanophones

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An issue

In English, you can say:

• It’s not an issue, we can go tomorrow

• He has a lot of issues

In both cases, issue translates best as problème.

• Ce n’est pas un problème, on peut y aller demain

• Il a beaucoup de problèmes

In French, une issue means an outcome, or an exit.

• Nous ne connaissons pas l’issue de ce conflit

  We don’t know the outcome of this conflict

• L’issue de secours est par là-bas

  The exit is over there

For the most part

I feel that this expression may be a bit overused in English, so the tendency is to translate it literally as pour la plupart, which doesn’t mean anything when used to start a sentence. Instead, you can say, la plupart du temps, which means most of the time.

• La plupart du temps, je parle français quand je suis à Montréal

  For the most part (most of the time), I speak French when I am in Montreal

There is also an expression in French that you can used to mean for the most part, when the meaning is overall: dans l’ensemble.

• J’ai encore un peu de douleur depuis mon accident. Mais dans l’ensemble, tout se passe bien

  I still have some pain from my accident. But overall (for the most part), everything is going well

• Dans l’ensemble, nous constatons que les Canadiens sont encore très inquiets par rapport à l’économie

  For the most part, we see that Canadians are still very concerned about the economy

Fluently

Fluently translates as couramment but the adjective fluent doesn’t exist, when referring to languages.

• I want to speak fluent French

  Je veux parler couramment le français

• I speak fluently

  Je parle couramment

• I don’t feel very fluent at this point

  Je sens que je ne parle pas couramment
  Je sens que je ne maîtrise pas la langue

Maybe I’ll change

Be careful about not starting a phrase with peut-être without adding que.

In English, you can say:

• Maybe I’ll change

In French, you’ll have to say:

• Peut-être que je vais changer

If you want to skip the que, place peut-être after the verb.

• Je vais peut-être changer

The day before

French has a word for the day before, so use it!

• The day before, we went to visit the Louvre Museum

  La veille, on est allés visiter le musée du Louvre!

• The day before I left, I was sick

  La veille de mon départ, j’étais malade

The day after

Likewise, we say le lendemain for the day after or the next day.

• Je vais rester jusqu’au lendemain

  I’ll stay until the next day

• Elle est venue nous voir le lendemain de son arrivée

  She came to see us the day after she arrived

A concern

To be concerned translates as être inquiet.

To have concerns can translate as avoir des inquiétudes, des problèmes.

• As interest rates rise, so do homeowners’ concerns

  Les taux d’intérêt augmentent, tout comme les inquiétudes des propriétaires

• I’m not really concerned

  Ça ne m’inquiète pas trop

• This restaurant is closing 3 locations due to safety concerns

  Ce restaurant ferme 3 établissements en raison de problèmes de sécurité

In French, concerner means to be relevant to, which is also a meaning that exists in English.

• J’ai reçu un appel te concernant

  I’ve received a call about you (concerning you)

Typically

If you want to say:

•  The quality of her work is typically very high

You can say:

• La qualité de son travail est généralement très élevée

But:

• Typically, I get up at 6

• D’habitude, je me lève à 6 heures

  En général, je me lève à 6 heures

Typiquement, in French, means in a way that is characteristic of a particular person or thing.

For example:

• C’est une famille typiquement américaine

  It’s a typical American family

I can tell

It’s common in English to say “I can tell” when something is obvious to you.

• – I haven’t slept since Tuesday!

  – I can tell!

This expression doesn’t translate as je peux le voir.

You would say instead:

• – Je n’ai pas dormi depuis mardi!

  – Ça se voit! (It can be seen)

• J’ai perdu quatre kilos!

  – J’ai remarqué (I noticed)

• I can tell that this author is French-Canadian

  Il est clair que l’auteur de ce livre est québécois

  L’auteur est clairement québécois 

The expression c’est clair is used a lot in conversation!

A location

You know the saying in real estate? Location, location, location. Well, how do you say that in French?

A location is:

• Un emplacement

• Un endroit

• Une situation

Let’s look at a few examples.

• This apartment is in a great location

  Cet appartement est très bien situé

• What makes this apartment great? Its location, and its affordable rent

  Qu’est-ce qui rend cet appartement génial? Son emplacement (sa situation), et son loyer abordable

• I love the location!

  J’aime l’endroit!

  C’est tellement bien situé!

Don’t say une location to mean a location. Une location means a rental. Louer means to rent.

• Louer une voiture

  To rent a car

• Une location de voiture

  A car rental

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