Introduction

Did you know that some words in French and English look almost identical but sound completely different when pronounced? In this blog, we’ll explore 20 such words that may surprise you with their pronunciation variations. Let’s dive in and unravel the fascinating world of language differences!

1. Café (Coffee)

In French, "café" is pronounced as "ka-fey," while in English, it's pronounced as "ka-fay."

2. Restaurant

In French, "restaurant" is pronounced as "res-toh-rahn," while in English, it's pronounced as "res-tuh-raunt."

3. Garage

In French, "garage" is pronounced as "ga-rahj," while in English, it's pronounced as "gah-rahj."

4. Parfait (Perfect)

In French, "parfait" is pronounced as "par-fay," while in English, it's pronounced as "par-fet."

5. Déjà vu

In French, "déjà vu" is pronounced as "day-zha voo," while in English, it's pronounced as "day-zha voo."

6. Boutique

In French, "boutique" is pronounced as "boo-teek," while in English, it's pronounced as "boo-tee-k."

7. Hôtel (Hotel)

In French, "hôtel" is pronounced as "oh-tel," while in English, it's pronounced as "ho-tel."

8. Champagne

In French, "champagne" is pronounced as "shahm-pah-nyuh," while in English, it's pronounced as "sham-payn."

9. Croissant

In French, "croissant" is pronounced as "kwah-sahn," while in English, it's pronounced as "krwah-sawnt."

10. Chauffeur

In French, "chauffeur" is pronounced as "show-fuhr," while in English, it's pronounced as "shoh-fer."

11. Décor

In French, "décor" is pronounced as "day-kor," while in English, it's pronounced as "dey-kawr."

12. Elite

In French, "élite" is pronounced as "ey-leet," while in English, it's pronounced as "ih-leet."

13. Menu

In French, "menu" is pronounced as "muh-nyoo," while in English, it's pronounced as "men-yoo."

14. Rendezvous

In French, "rendezvous" is pronounced as "rahn-dey-voo," while in English, it's pronounced as "rahn-dey-voo."

15. Baguette

In French, "baguette" is pronounced as "bah-get," while in English, it's pronounced as "bah-get."

16. Ballet

In French, "ballet" is pronounced as "ba-lay," while in English, it's pronounced as "ba-lay."

17. Buffet

In French, "buffet" is pronounced as "bu-fey," while in English, it's pronounced as "bu-fet."

18. Cliché

In French, "cliché" is pronounced as "klee-shey," while in English, it's pronounced as "klee-shey."

19. Café au lait

In French, "café au lait" is pronounced as "ka-fey oh leh," while in English, it's pronounced as "ka-fey oh layt."

20. Champagne

In French, "champagne" is pronounced as "shahm-pah-nyuh," while in English, it's pronounced as "sham-payn."

Conclusion

Language is full of surprises, and these words demonstrate the fascinating differences in pronunciation between French and English. If you're keen on exploring more about the French language, Multibhashi’s live French classes offer comprehensive instruction and support to help you on your language learning journey.