Oblitérer vs Obliterate
Oblitérer is nearly always used to mean cancel, as in a stamp. Cachet d'oblitération - postmark.
Obliterate means to do away with or to wipe out. It can be translated by effacer - to erase or to wear down or by rayer - to cross out.
Occupé vs Occupied
Occupé is from occuper - to occupy in all senses of the word. It can also mean to employ or to keep busy: Mon travail m'occupe beaucoup - My work keeps me very busy.
Occupied is the past participle of occupy - occuper, habiter, remplir.
Office vs Office
Office is a semi-false cognate. In addition to the meanings below, it can refer to duties, church services or prayers, or a pantry.
Office can mean the physical place where one works as well as the office or position that someone holds.
Once vs Once
Once = ounce.
Once can mean une fois or jadis.
Opportunité vs Opportunity
Opportunité refers to timeliness or appropriateness: Nous discutons de l'opportunité d'aller à la plage - We're discussing the appropriateness of going to the beach (under the circumstances).
Opportunity leans toward favorable circumstances for a particular action or event. It's an opportunity to improve your French - C'est une occasion de te perfectionner en français.
Or vs Or
Or has two completely different meanings. It is the word for gold: or fin - fine gold. It is also a conjunction used to make a transition from one idea to another, meaning now or whereas: J'attendais au pire, or il a attendu patiemment - I expected the worst, whereas he waited patiently.
Or is simply a conjunction used to denote an alternative; the French equivalent is ou : I need to buy a pen or a pencil - Je dois acheter un stylo ou un crayon.
Organe vs Organ
Organe refers to the organs of the body and international organs.
Organ is also the musical instrument orgue.
Ours vs Ours
Un ours is a bear.
Ours is the possessive pronoun le nçtre.
Ouverture vs Overture
Ouverture is a semi-false congate. In addition to overture, it the French word for opening
Overture means ouverture or avance.
Pain vs Pain
Pain is the French word for bread.
Pain is the English word for douleur, peine, souffrance.
Pair vs Pair
Un pair means a peer; as an adjective, pair means even: le c?té pair de la rue - the even-numbers side of the street.
A pair is usually translated by une paire : a pair of shoes - une paire de chausseurs.
Pale vs Pale
Une pale is an oar, paddle, or propeller blade.
Pale means light in color. When referring to a person's complexion, it is translated by pale. But pale blue - bleu clair.
Parti/Partie vs Party
Parti can refer to several different things: a political party, an option or course of action (prendre un parti - to make a decision), or a match (as in he's a good match for you). It is also the past participle of partir. Partie can mean a part (e.g., une partie du film - a part of the film), a field or subject, a game (e.g., une partie de cartes - a game of cards), or a party in a trial.
Party can also mean une fête, soirée or réception; un correspondant (au téléphone), or un groupe/une équipe.
Passer vs Pass
Passer is a semi-false cognate. It is normally translated by to pass, except when talking about a test. Je vais passer un examen cet après-midi - I'm going to take a test this afternoon.
Pass is translated by réussir when talking about a test: I passed the test - J'ai réussi à l'examen.
Patron vs Patron
Patron is an owner, boss, or employer.
Patron is a client, someone who purchases from a store, restaurant, or other business: un client or (for the theater only) un habitué.
Pays vs Pays
Pays refers to a certain territory, usually a country, but can on occasion refer to a village.
Pays is the third person singular conjugation of the verb to pay: he pays me cash - il me paie en liquide.
Personne vs Person
Personne is a semi-false cognate. As a noun, it means person, but as a pronoun, it can mean anyone or no one: Elle le connais mieux que personne - She knows him better than anyone.
Personne n'est ici - No one is here.
Person refers to a human being.
Phrase vs Phrase
Phrase is a sentence.
Phrase refers to une expression or locution.
Physicien vs Physician
Physicien is a physicist, while physician is a médicin.
Pie vs Pie
Pie refers to a magpie.
Pie indicates une tarte or une tourte.
Pièce vs Piece
Pièce is a semi-false cognate. It means piece only in the sense of broken pieces.
Otherwise, it indicates a room, sheet of paper, or coin.
Piece is a part of something - un morceau or une tranche.
Pinte vs Pint
Pinte means a quart (in Québec) and a bar or café (in Switzerland). In standard French, it refers to an archaic unit of measurement.
Pint is approximately un demi-litre.
Police vs Police
Police is a semi-false cognate. In addition to a law-enforcing body, it can also mean policy (e.g., insurance) and font.
Police refers only to the law-enforcing body. There are two different organizations in France: la police - under the Ministry of the Interior and la gendarmerie - under the Ministry of War.
Politique vs Politics
Politique can be the adjective political or a noun: un politique = politician while une politique = politics or a policy
Politics refers only to la politique.
Pond vs Pond
Pond is from the verb pondre - to lay (an egg).
Pond is un étang.
Pot vs Pot
Un Pot can be a jar, earthenware pot, can, or carton. There is also a familiar expression " Prendre un pot " - to have a drink.
A Pot is a cooking vessel: une marmite or une casserole. Pot is also a slang term for marijuana - marie-jeanne.
Pour vs Pour
Pour is the French preposition for.
Pour is a verb which means verser or pleuvoir à verse.
Prétendre vs Pretend
Prétendre means to claim or assert: Il prétend savoir jouer du piano - He claims to be able to play the piano.
Pretend means to make believe or to feign: She's pretending to be sick - Elle simule (or elle feint) d'être malade.
Propre vs Proper / Prop
Propre can mean clean or own (as in ma propre voiture - my own car).
Proper means convenable or adéquat and a Prop is un support or un étai.
Prune vs Prune
Prune refers to a plum.
Prune can be a noun - un pruneau or a verb - tailler, élaguer. |
