Learning French is exciting, but it can also be tricky, especially if you are an English speaker. Many people make the same mistakes when they start learning French.
Don’t worry! These mistakes are normal, and once you know about them, it becomes much easier to avoid them.
The 10 most common mistakes English speakers make when learning French.
We’ll also give you simple tips to fix them. If you want to avoid these mistakes and speak French with confidence, check out our expert-led French courses!
1. Translating Word by Word
One of the biggest mistakes is trying to translate English sentences word by word into French. French grammar is different, so direct translation often sounds strange or incorrect.
Tip: Try to learn phrases and sentence patterns instead of only individual words.
2. Ignoring the Gender of Nouns
In French, every noun has a gender—it is either masculine or feminine. English speakers often forget or ignore this rule.
For example:
Le livre (the book) is masculine.
La table (the table) is feminine.
Tip: Always learn the gender when you learn a new noun. It will help you with articles, adjectives, and more.
3. Forgetting to Pronounce Silent Letters
French pronunciation can be hard for English speakers. Many French words have silent letters at the end, like “s,” “t,” and “x.”
For example:
Vous parlez → The s in vous is silent.
Tip: Listen to native speakers and practise speaking aloud to improve your pronunciation.
4. Mixing Up “Tu” and “Vous”
French has two ways to say “you”: tu (informal) and vous (formal or plural). English speakers often use them incorrectly.
Tip: Use you when talking to friends, family, or children. Use vous when speaking to strangers, elders, or more than one person.
5. Misusing False Friends
Some French words look similar to English words but have different meanings. These are called false friends.
For Example:
Actuellement means currently, not actually.
The library in English is bibliothèque in French, but librairie in French means bookshop.
Tip: Always check the real meaning of similar-looking words.
6. Confusing Verb Tenses
French verb tenses can be confusing. Many English speakers mix up the past tenses like passé composé and imparfait.
Many people confuse French with an extended satirical version of English, even though some phrases might be similar, but it does not all sound the same.
Tip: Start by learning the most common tenses. Practice using them in simple sentences before moving to complex ones.
7. Neglecting Liaisons
A liaison happens when the final consonant of one word is linked to the first vowel sound of the next word.
For example:
Vous avez is pronounced vou-z-avez.
English speakers often skip liaisons, but it sounds unnatural.
Tip: Listen carefully to how French people connect their words and try to copy them
8. Overusing Subject Pronouns
In English, we use subject pronouns (I, you, he, she) all the time. In French, subject pronouns can sometimes be dropped or replaced by other structures.
English speakers often use them too much, making the sentence sound unnatural.
Tip: Pay attention to how native speakers form sentences without always using pronouns.
9. Using the Wrong Prepositions
For example:
Je vais à Paris (I am going to Paris)
Je viens de Londres (I come from London)
Tip: Learn prepositions in context with examples.
10. Being Afraid to Make Mistakes
Many English speakers feel shy or scared to speak French because they are afraid of making mistakes. But making mistakes is part of learning!
The best practice, again we say that should be given, is to immersive oneself in the literature or the culture of the French, start with watching movies that you like and slowly try reading books that would further solidify your knowledge.
Tip: Practice speaking as much as possible. Native speakers will appreciate your effort, even if you make errors.
Final Thoughts
Learning French is a journey. It’s normal to make mistakes at the beginning, but now you know the most common ones—and how to fix them!
When you practice, always keep in mind that getting good over time solely depends on the practice.
A good French class would help you steer clear of all the misconceptions, and what better than learning French in Paris itself? You can contact us if you want the best experience while you learn French in Paris.
Avoid these mistakes with our expert-led French lessons in Paris —check out our courses!
Our friendly teachers will guide you step by step and help you speak French with confidence.
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