100+ French Words You Already Know (You Just Don't Realize It)
You already know hundreds of French words. -tion, -ment and -ble endings translate almost directly from English - here are 100+ cognates, by pattern.
Thanks to shared Latin and Norman French roots, English speakers already recognize hundreds of French words: nation, action, information (-tion), moment, gouvernement (-ment), possible, table (-ble), and more. Watch out for false friends though - not every similar-looking word means the same thing.
Quick answer
Thanks to shared Latin and Norman French roots, English speakers already recognize hundreds of French words: nation, action, information (-tion), moment, gouvernement (-ment), possible, table (-ble), and more. Watch out for false friends though - not every similar-looking word means the same thing.
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-tion words: nearly identical
nation, action, position, information, direction, attention - spelled almost identically, with a French pronunciation shift.
-ment words: same idea, French pronunciation
moment, gouvernement, document, instrument, appartement.
-ble words: possible, capable, table
possible, capable, table, probable, adorable.
-isme, -logie, -graphie words
tourisme, biologie, photographie.
Watch out: not every lookalike is a true cognate
A brief warning before you trust every similar-looking word: actuellement doesn’t mean actually - it means currently. See actuellement doesn’t mean actually and French words that fool English speakers for the full false-friend picture.
Using cognates to read faster
Spot pattern endings before reaching for a dictionary - this alone lets you decode a surprising share of written French from day one. See French reading practice for the fuller strategy.
Build on what you already know
LexiFr teaches French vocabulary with native audio, helping you recognize patterns fast.
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Questions about this note
Why does French share so much vocabulary with English?
Norman French heavily influenced English after 1066, creating thousands of shared or similar words.
Are -tion words the same in French and English?
Nearly identical in spelling, with a French pronunciation shift.
What's a false cognate?
A word that looks similar but means something different, like actuellement (currently, not "actually").
How many cognates does French have with English?
Estimates commonly cite hundreds to thousands of shared or similar words.
Can cognates help me read French faster?
Yes - recognizing pattern endings lets you decode many words without a dictionary.