Commonly used Franglais Words You’ll Encounter
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What is “Franglais”?The history of borrowed words between English and FrenchThe resistance to AnglicismsEnglish to French FranglaisFrench to English FranglaisThe French & English languages have a long and chequered history that can be traced back to around 1,000 years ago. So, it should come as no surprise that their constant interactions and shared history have resulted in what is now known as franglais.
What is “Franglais”?
The term franglais comes from the amalgamation of the words français (French) and anglais (English).
The word franglais can be used to talk about English loan words that have been brought into and used in French and French words brought into and used in English. Essentially, it is the blending of a high proportion of English words into French and vice versa.
The history of borrowed words between English and French
French and English share a long history. Their close contact began in earnest with the Norman Conquest, when the Normans (from modern-day Normandy) invaded England and took power in 1066. French became the language of the ruling elite, while much of the population continued to speak English and Latin remained important for written administration.
The tussle between French and English continued throughout the centuries, with one of the most recent battles being fought over which language would become the lingua franca of Europe after World War 2.
This long term and constant exposure to each other, as well as the continued rivalry, has led to the creation of what is now known as franglais.
The resistance to Anglicisms
It’s common knowledge that languages change and adapt over time and that the borrowing of words is a normal part of the evolution of a language.
English is a great case in point for this. It is essentially an amalgamation of words from a variety of different languages. New words enter both English and French, although French language institutions often recommend French alternatives to English terms.
The French language has been closely watched over by the Académie française since 1635. The Académie’s original purpose was to establish the literary language and maintain the literature standards at the time. It has an exclusive membership, with only 40 members, known as les immortels. Today it’s entrusted with providing the precise language rules of the French language and ensuring it retains its purity.
However, with the arrival of global mass media in the 20th century, maintaining the purity of French has proven to be an uphill battle. But that hasn’t stopped the French from trying. In 1994 French Culture Minister Jacques Toubon introduced a law requiring French in certain public, commercial and workplace communications, with translations allowed alongside it. The 1990s also saw the domination of the World Wide Web, further cementing the globalisation and spread of the English language.
It should be noted that in Quebec, Canada, the French language has staunchly been defended. So much so, in cases where franglais is used in standard French in France, the Québécois people opt to use the French translation instead. An example of this is la fin de semaine, as opposed to le weekend. This may largely be because French in Québec is at greater risk due to its even closer proximity to the English language.
English to French Franglais
English to French Franglais words are also known as anglicisms. Many of these words have the same meaning in both languages, while some can mean something different or not exist in English at all, having been altered over time.
The following English loanwords and related terms often have similar meanings in both languages, although their grammar or additional meanings can differ:
| Blazer (nm) |
| Blog (nm) |
| Brainstorming (nm) |
| Brunch (nm) |
| Burger (nm) |
| Chatter (vb To chat) |
| Checker (vb To check) |
| Club (nm) |
| Cool (adj) |
| Cookie (nm) |
| Email (nm) |
| Fast food (nm) |
| Follower (vb To follow someone on social media) |
| Fun (nm) |
| Global(e) (adj.; overall, not necessarily worldwide) |
| Googliser (vb To google) |
| Hipster (nm, nf) |
| Interview (nf) |
| Job (nm) |
| Jogging (nm; running, or a tracksuit depending on context) |
| Leader (nm) |
| Liker (vb To like a post on social media) |
| Playlist (nf) |
| Sandwich (nm) |
| Skyper (vb To skype) |
| Spoiler (vb To spoil a plot) |
| Shopping (nm) |
| Smartphone (nm) |
| Tweeter (vb To tweet) |
| Retweeter (vb To retweet) |
| T-shirt (nm) |
| Weekend (nm) |
The following list includes anglicisms whose meanings differ, words adapted into French, and related translations. Pay attention to their meanings in context.
- After-workpartying after work hours
- Une basket (shoe); le basket (sport)a sneaker, or basketball (the sport)
- Un breaka break in a relationship
- Brushinga blow dry
- Un campinga campsite
- Footingjogging
- Un hard-discountera discount store
- Liftinga face lift
- Un planninga schedule
- Un Parkinga car park/parking lot
- Un/une peoplea celebrity
- Une pom-pom girla cheerleader
- Post-véritépost truth (commonly used in modern politics)
- Le pressinga dry-cleaners
- Un pullsweater
- Relookinga makeover
- Un shake-hand (dated)a handshake
- Shampooingshampoo
- Scotcherto tape
- Un smokinga tuxedo
- Un talkie-walkiea walkie talkie (yes, it’s back to front)
- Le traininga tracksuit
French to English Franglais
English has also borrowed a large number of words from French – thousands in fact. Here is a list of 50 of the most common French words found in English. How many do you know?
| Avant-garde |
| Ballet |
| Beret (un béret) |
| Blonde |
| Bon voyage! |
| Bureau |
| Brunette |
| Café |
| Champagne |
| Chauffeur |
| Chef |
| Chic |
| Clique |
| Cul-de-sac |
| Déjà vu |
| Delegate |
| Detour (détour) |
| Elite |
| Encore |
| Entrée |
| Faux pas |
| Fiancé |
| Gâteau |
| Gallery (galerie) |
| Heritage (héritage) |
| Homage |
| Hotel |
| Laissez-faire |
| Ménage à trois |
| Menu |
| Navy (from Old French navie) |
| Novel |
| Oh là là |
| Occasion |
| Poetic (poétique) |
| Restaurant |
| Ridicule |
| Risqué |
| RSVP (répondez s’il vous plaît) |
| Salad |
| Sauté |
| Sentiment |
| Silhouette |
| Soufflé |
| Soup (soupe) |
| Tournament (un tournoi) |
| Uniform (uniforme) |
| Utensil |
| Variety (variété) |
| Zest (zeste) |
We hope you enjoyed this look into the fascinating world of Franglais. Make sure to learn this vocabulary to help you get by in French and save yourself from any confusion in the future.
