What is a false friend in French?

A French word that looks like an English one but means something else, such as actuellement (currently), une librairie (a bookshop) or sensible (sensitive).

How many false friends are in the game?

61, mixed with cards on meanings and genders. Every card shows the right answer and a short explanation after you swipe.

Do false friends matter in TCF or TEF Canada?

Yes, in two ways: a false friend can push you towards the wrong option in a reading question, and using one when you write or speak makes your meaning unclear.

French false friends quiz: true or false?

Vrai ou faux

Each card makes a claim: a word and a meaning, an article, or an English look-alike. Swipe right if it’s true and left if it’s false. Every card explains itself after you answer.

2 min a round
Free, no sign-up
Reading
Writing

How to play

1Read the card: a word and a meaning, an article, or a false friend.
2Swipe right (or press →) if it’s true, left (or ←) if it’s false.
3Every card explains itself after you answer.

What it trains

Spotting false friends such as actuellement, une librairie or assister à (61 of them in the game), and checking meanings and genders of exam vocabulary.

Why it matters for TCF and TEF Canada

False friends lead to wrong answers in reading questions and blur your meaning in writing: actuellement means currently, not actually. Knowing the common ones protects points in comprehension and in your own texts.

Practise reading in the real format: TCF Canada reading practice · TEF Canada reading practice

Learn while you play

Rules and tips to remember

Learn the real meaning
actuellement = currently; éventuellement = possibly; une librairie = a bookshop (a library is une bibliothèque).
Verbs are false friends too
assister à means to attend (to help is aider); rester means to stay (to rest is se reposer).
Use the arrow keys
On a laptop, → means true and ← means false, which makes rounds much faster.

From the blog

Go deeper on the blog

Free French Learning Games for TCF and TEF Canada
44 free French learning games, 23 in 3D with 30 levels each, sorted by skill: vocabulary, grammar, listening and speaking. For TCF and TEF Canada.
11 min read

FAQ