Latin-based Cognates:
* General:
* Art: French "art" vs. English "art"
* Culture: French "culture" vs. English "culture"
* History: French "histoire" vs. English "history"
* Science: French "science" vs. English "science"
* Animals:
* Elephant: French "éléphant" vs. English "elephant"
* Lion: French "lion" vs. English "lion"
* Tiger: French "tigre" vs. English "tiger"
* Human Body:
* Brain: French "cerveau" vs. English "brain"
* Heart: French "cœur" vs. English "heart"
* Eye: French "œil" vs. English "eye"
* Food and Drink:
* Fruit: French "fruit" vs. English "fruit"
* Milk: French "lait" vs. English "milk"
* Wine: French "vin" vs. English "wine"
Greek-based Cognates:
* General:
* Philosophy: French "philosophie" vs. English "philosophy"
* Democracy: French "démocratie" vs. English "democracy"
* Geography: French "géographie" vs. English "geography"
* Science:
* Biology: French "biologie" vs. English "biology"
* Physics: French "physique" vs. English "physics"
* Chemistry: French "chimie" vs. English "chemistry"
False Cognates:
Be aware of false cognates, words that look similar but have different meanings:
* Actually: French "actuellement" means "currently"
* Library: French "librairie" means "bookstore"
* Pretty: French "joli/jolie" means "beautiful"
Additional Notes:
* Spelling: Though often similar, spelling can sometimes differ. French uses accents and different letters like "é" or "ç" where English might use "e" or "c".
* Pronunciation: The pronunciation can differ significantly, even if the spelling is close.
* Context: The meaning can be slightly nuanced in different contexts, even for cognates.
Learning Cognates:
Learning cognates is a great way to expand your vocabulary in both languages. By recognizing cognates, you can deduce meaning and gain a better understanding of both French and English.