French in English

Learn about French words and expressions used in English, and how those uses compare to the originals.

Expressions

Garbled Expressions

Garbled French expressions
English is full of French words and expressions, but pronunciation and even meaning can get distorted along the way - so much so that their provenance may not be recognizable. Toodle loo!

   

   

Expressions

Je ne sais quoi

Je ne sais quoi
There's a certain je ne sais quoi about the French expression je ne sais quoi, don't you think? Read this lesson to find out what it is!

   

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Expressions

Oh, So French! Expressions

Oh, so French! expressions
Francophiles love to toss around French phrases when speaking English, but they're not always as French as they may seem. Here are some "oh, so French!" expressions linked to how they're actually used by native speakers - if at all.

   

Expressions

RSVP

RSVP
I invite you to read this lesson on the French acronym RSVP - please respond.

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Expressions

Vive la France !

Vive la France !
You've probably heard the expression vive la France once or twice, especially in mid-July and during the World Cup. Get le scoop on what it actually means as well as how it's spelled and pronounced with this detailed analysis.

   

Expressions

Voilà

Nous voilà !
This is a comprehensive lesson on a very useful French expression, voilà.

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Vocabulary Lists

Vrais amis

Vrais amis
Believe it or not, when you walk into your first French class, you already know hundreds and hundreds French words, because there are at least 1,700 vrais amis; that is, French and English words that are spelled identically and mean the same thing - at least sometimes.