B1B2 For French speakers

8 false friends that trip up French speakers in English business meetings

By Philip Simon ·

In an English business meeting, the French words that look like English ones are exactly the ones that betray you. Say "It's on my agenda" and your colleague hears the meeting's topic list, not your agenda (your diary). Say the project will ship "eventually" and they hear finalement, not éventuellement (possibly). These are faux amis, French-English cognates that diverged in meaning, and meetings are where they cost the most because everyone is listening for commitments, deadlines and decisions. Here are the 8 that trip up French speakers most in meetings, each in a real meeting line with the natural fix.

1. Agenda (the meeting plan, not your diary)

French agenda means your diary / planner (the book of appointments). English agenda means the list of topics for the meeting (l'ordre du jour). ✗ "I'll note it in the agenda and call you back." (meaning your diary) ✓ "I'll note it in my diary / calendar." And the other way: ✓ "Item three on today's agenda is the budget." In a meeting this matters, because 'on the agenda' is a commitment to discuss something, not a note to yourself.

2. Eventually ≠ éventuellement

Éventuellement means possibly / if needed; English eventually means finalement / à terme (it will happen, in the end). ✗ "We could eventually add a second supplier." (meaning if necessary) ✓ "We could possibly add a second supplier" or "If needed, we could add a second supplier." This is the costliest meeting slip of all: you mean 'maybe', and your colleagues hear a firm 'yes, in time'.

3. Delay ≠ délai

French délai means the deadline / lead time (the time allowed). English delay means lateness / a hold-up (un retard). ✗ "What's the delay for delivery?" (meaning the lead time) ✓ "What's the deadline / lead time for delivery?" Reserve delay for when something is late: ✓ "There's a two-day delay on the shipment." Mix these up and a deadline question sounds like an accusation that you're already running late.

4. Control ≠ contrôler

French contrôler most often means to check / inspect / verify (a passport, a figure, a process). English control means to command / direct / have power over. ✗ "Can you control these figures before we send them?" ✓ "Can you check / double-check these figures before we send them?" Saying you'll control a colleague's numbers sounds like you're taking command of their work, not proofreading it.

5. Achieve ≠ achever

French achever means to finish off / complete something already under way; English achieve means to accomplish / reach a goal (accomplir, atteindre). ✗ "We'll achieve the report by Thursday." (meaning finish it) ✓ "We'll finish / complete the report by Thursday." Keep achieve for results: ✓ "We achieved our Q2 target." The pair is doubly confusing because both touch on 'getting something done', but only achever is about wrapping up a task in progress.

6. Inconvenient ≠ inconvénient

French un inconvénient is a noun meaning a drawback / downside; English inconvenient is an adjective meaning gênant / peu pratique. ✗ "The main inconvenient is the cost." ✓ "The main drawback / downside is the cost." The English noun you want is drawback or disadvantage. Use the adjective only for things that bother you: ✓ "3 p.m. is an inconvenient time for the call."

7. Propose (no indirect object, unlike proposer)

French proposer lets you say je vous propose une solution, with an indirect object (vous). English propose does not work that way. ✗ "I propose you a new timeline." ✓ "I'd suggest a new timeline" or "Let me propose a new timeline" or "Let me offer you a new timeline." In meetings, suggest and offer sound more collaborative than the rather formal propose anyway, so they're usually the better fix as well as the grammatical one.

8. Agree (no preposition before a clause)

From the French je suis d'accord avec..., French speakers often carry the preposition into English. English agree takes no preposition before a that-clause, and 'agree with' attaches to a person or opinion, not a full statement. ✗ "I agree with that we should postpone." ✓ "I agree that we should postpone" or simply "I agree we should postpone." You can say "I agree with you" or "I agree with the proposal", but never "I agree with that + clause".

Common questions

In English, does 'agenda' mean my diary like in French?

No. French un agenda is your diary or planner (the book where you note appointments). In English, the agenda is the list of topics to be discussed in a meeting. For your French agenda, say 'diary', 'planner', 'calendar' or 'schedule'. For the meeting's list, 'agenda' is correct, and the French for that is l'ordre du jour.

Why is 'I propose you a solution' wrong in English?

Because English 'propose' does not take an indirect object the way French proposer can. You can say 'I propose a solution' or, more naturally in a meeting, 'I'd suggest a solution' or 'Let me offer you a solution'. 'I propose you...' is a direct transfer of the French pattern and sounds off to a native ear.

If 'delay' isn't délai, how do I talk about deadlines in a meeting?

English 'delay' means a hold-up or lateness (un retard). French délai means the deadline or lead time itself. So say 'the deadline is Friday' or 'the lead time is two weeks', not 'the delay is Friday'. Use 'delay' only when something is late: 'There's a delay on the shipment.'

Keep practising

Sources

  1. Learner English: A Teacher's Guide to Interference and other Problems, Swan, M. & Smith, B. (eds.), Cambridge University Press. French speakers transfer French word meanings onto identical-looking English words (faux amis), a well-documented L1-interference pattern between French and English.
  2. éventuellement, éventuel vs eventually, eventual, Anglais Pratique. French éventuellement means 'possibly / perhaps' and is not translated by English 'eventually' (finalement).
  3. Achever - to finish, end, complete, Lawless French. French achever means 'to finish, end, complete', distinct from English 'achieve' (accomplir / atteindre).

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