This list contains more than twenty-five hundred French words, together with an equal number of English words that have the same meaning, and are either identical or very close in spelling to the French. Most of these English words have been borrowed from the French, in a long history of borrowings ranging from the Norman Conquest of England to the present day. A few, however, have come from Latin, or Italian, or one of the other Romance languages, and have parallel forms in modern French. Altogether, English shares an enormous part of its vocabulary with French. Estimates vary, but it is safe to say that well over half of the basic working vocabulary of English is represented by parallel forms in French.
The twenty-five hundred words in this list are the most frequently used words that English and French have in common parallel forms. They are all important words in French, all appearing among the top six thousand words in word-frequency counts. This list has been based upon a study of comparative cognates among English, French, and Spanish, submitted by William E. Johnson, Jr. as a master’s thesis to the George Peabody School for Teachers. The editors of Dover Publications have collated it with Helen S. Eaton’s Semantic Frequency List (published by Dover in 1961 as An English-French-German-Spanish Word Frequency Dictionary) and have enlarged it accordingly. While this list does not contain all the most common words in French (since there are many French words that do not have parallel English forms, especially in situations where we use forms derived from Anglo-Saxon), it will give you many of the words that you are likely to need, and will enable you to express your needs in the easiest way.
Do not go beyond the words in this list, however, in assuming that English and French words that look alike have the same meaning. There are many false analogies between the two languages, and it is not always safe to guess at French words because of their appearance. Many words which were once related in the past have since drifted apart in meaning, and in many other words there are simply chance resemblances between English and French. The French word chair, for example, does not mean chair, but flesh or meat; the comparable French form to chair is chaise.
If you concentrate on the words of this listing, you will find that you will be able to comprehend a good deal of French, and will be able to express your thoughts with a minimum of memorization. Learn to recast your thoughts in these words when you speak. Instead of thinking (in English) of big and great, think of grand which is close to French grand; instead of thinking of let, think of permit. Each of these words has its near equivalent in French, and you will be able to express yourself without ambiguities or misstatements.
Use whatever methods come easiest to you for learning these words. Some language experts advise you simply to read through the list two or three times a day for several weeks, and then to let your mind pick up words unconsciously. The association between English and French in this list is so close, that simply reading and rereading the list will enlarge your vocabulary by hundreds of useful words. Some teachers recommend that you memorize a certain number of words each day, perhaps making sentences with them. There are not many short cuts to learning and study, and this list is one of the few that are of value. Do not be afraid of making mistakes. You may be unidiomatic at times; you may be grammatically incorrect occasionally, but you will probably be understood.
Table of Common Equivalents
There are often slight differences in spelling between French words and their English parallels. On occasion these minor differences may disguise what is basically a common structure. For example, école and school, étude and study, at first glance have little to do with one another. But if you remember that initial é in French, in some circumstances, is equivalent to initial s in English, you will see the relationships.
The following table indicates some of the more frequent equivalences between English and French. Do not follow it blindly, however, for these spelling differences are by no means universal. Use it simply for suggestions.
The French suffix -ment corresponds to the English adverbial ending -ly.
LIST OF COGNATES
abandon (v.)
abbey
abdicate
aberration
abject
abnormal
aboard
abolish
abolition
abominable
abound
abrupt
absence
absent (adj.)
absent (v.)
absolute
absolutely
absorb
abstain
abstraction
absurd
abundance
abundant
abuse (n.)
abuse (v.)
accelerate
accent (n.)
accentuate
accept
acceptance
access
accessory
accident
acclaim (v.)
accompany
accomplish
accomplished
accord (n.)
accord (v.)
accumulate
abandonner
abbaye
abdiquer
aberration
abject
anormal
à bord
abolir
abolition
abominable
abonder
abrupte
absence
absent
absenter (s’)
absolu
absolument
absorber
abstenir (s’)
abstraction
absurde
abondance
abundant
abus
abuser
accélérer
accent
accentuer
accepter
acceptation
accès
accessoire
accident
acclamer
accompagner
accomplir
accompli
accord
accorder
accumuler
accusation
accused
accustom
acid
acquire
acquisition
act (n.)
action
active
actor
actress
adapt
addition
address (n.)
address (v.)
adherent
adjourn
adjudge
adjustment
administrate
administration
administrative
administrator
admirable
admiral
admire
admission
admit
adolescent (adj.)
adopt
adoption
adoration
adore
adroit
advance (n.)
advance (v.)
advantageous
adventure (n.)
adventurer
adversary
accusation
accusé
accoutumer
acide
acquérir
acquisition
acte
action
actif
acteur
actrice
adapter
addition
adresse
adresser
adherent
adjourner
adjurer
ajustement
administrer
administration
administratif
administrateur
admirable
amiral
admirer
admission
admettre
adolescent
adopter
adoration
adorer
adroit
avance
avancer
avantageux
aventure
aventurier
adversaire
adversity
aesthetic
affect (v.)
affection
affirm
affirmation
age
aged
agency
agent
aggravate
aggression
agitation
agony
agreeable
agricultural
agriculture,
ah!
aid (n.)
aid (v.)
air (n.)
alarm (v.)
album
alcohol
alcoholic
alert (adj.)
align
aliment
alimentation
alliance
allusion
ally
amass
amateur
ambassador
amber
ambition
ambitious
ameliorate
amend
adversité
ésthétique
affecter
affection
affirmer
affirmation
âge
âgé
agence
agent
aggraver
agression
agitation
agonie
agréable
agricole
agriculture
ah!
aide
aider
air
alarmer
album
alcool
alcoolique
alerte
aligner
aliment
alimentation
alliance
allusion
allié
amasser
amateur
ambassadeur
ambre
ambition
ambitieux
améliorer
amender
amiability
amiable
amicable
amplify
amuse
amusement
amusing
analogous
analogy
analysis
analyze
anarchy
ancestor
ancient (adj.)
anecdote
angel
angle
animal
animate
annex (n.)
announce
announcement
annual
anterior
antique
antiquity
anxiety
anxious
apartment
apparent
apparition
appeal (n.)
appearance
appetite
applaud
application
apply
appreciate
appreciation
apprehension
amabilité
aimable
amical
amplifier
amuser
amusement
amusant
analogue
analogie
analyse
analyser
anarchie
ancêtre
ancien
anecdote
ange
angle
animal
animer
annexe
annoncer
annonce
annuel
antérieur
antique
antiquité
anxiété
anxieux
appartement
apparent
apparition
appel
apparence
appétit
applaudir
application
appliquer
apprécier
appréciation
apprehension
apprentice (n.)
apprenticeship
approach (n.)
approach (v.)
approbation
approve
aptitude
arbitrator
arcade
architect
architecture
ardor
argument
arid
aristocracy
aristocratic
arm (v.)
army
arrange
arrangement
arrest (n.)
arrival
arrive
art
article
articulate
artificial
artillery
artist
artistic
ascension
aspect
aspiration
assail
assassin
assassinate
assault (n.)
assemble
assembly
assiduity
apprenti
apprentissage
approche
approcher
approbation
approuver
aptitude
arbitre
arcade
architecte
architecture
ardeur
argument
aride
aristocratie
aristocratique
armer
armée
arranger
arrangement
arrêt
arrivée
arriver
art
article
articuler
artificiel
artillerie
artiste
artistique
ascension
aspect
aspiration
assaillir
assassin
assassiner
assaut
assembler
assemblée
assiduité
assimilate
assistance
associate (v.)
association
assume
assurance
assure
assured
assuredly
athlete
atmosphere
atom
atrocious
atrocity
attach
attack (n.)
attack (v.)
attention
attentive
attentively
attenuate
attest
attitude
attraction
attribute (n.)
attribute (v.)
audacious
auditor
augment
augmentation
aurora
austere
authentic
author
authority
authorization
authorize
automaton
automobile
autumn
assimiler
assistance
associer
association
assumer
assurance
assurer
assure
assurément
athlète
atmosphère
atome
atroce
atrocité
attacher
attaque
attaquer
attention
attentif
attentivement
atténuer
attester
attitude
attraction
attribut
attribuer
audacieux
auditeur
augmenter
augmentation
aurore
austère
authentique
auteur
autorité
autorisation
autoriser
automate
automobile
automne
auxiliary
avenue
aversion
avid
avidity
azure
baby
baggage
bah!
balance (n.)
balance (v.)
balcony
ball (party)
ball
ballad
balloon
banal
banana
band
bandit
bank (n.)
banker
banquet
baptism
baptize
bar (n.)
bar (v.)
barbarian
barbarity
bark
baron
barrier
base (n.)
battalion
baton
battery
battle (n.)
bayonet
beauty
auxiliaire
avenue
aversion
avide
avidité
azur
bébé
bagage
bah!
balance
balancer
balcon
bal
balle
ballade
ballon
banal
banane
bande
bandit
banque
banquier
banquet
baptême
baptiser
barre
barrer
barbare
barbarie
barque
baron
barrière
base
bataillon
baton
batterie
bataille
baïonnette
beauté
benediction
benefice
Bible
bile
bizarre
blame (v.)
blasphemy
block (n.)
blond
blouse
bomb (n.)
boulevard
bound (v.)
bourgeois
boxer
bracelet
branch (n.)
brave
bravery
bravo
brick
brief
brigade
brigand
brilliant
bronze
brusque
brutal
brute
budget
bureau
burlesque
bust (n.)
butchery
butt (v.)
button
cabin
cable
cabriolet
bénédiction
bénéfice
Bible
bile
bizarre
blâmer
blasphème
bloc
blond
blouse
bombe
boulevard
bondir
bourgeois
boxeur
bracelet
branche
brave
bravoure
bravo
brique
bref
brigade
brigand
brillant
bronze
brusque
brutal
brute
budget