Some French words look or sound very close, but mean completely different things. This second part of our confusing French words series focuses on homonyms and near-homonyms that are easy to mix up when you are listening, speaking or reading quickly.
Words featured in the infographic
Souris can mean a mouse, but souris is also linked to smiling.
Mur means wall, while mure means blackberry.
Date means date, while dattes are dates, the fruit.
Vin means wine, while vingt means twenty.
Reine means queen, while rennes means reindeer.
How to remember confusing French words
The best way to remember these words is to learn them in context rather than as isolated vocabulary. Pair each word with a short phrase, a picture or a sentence you might actually use.
Listen for the surrounding words: they usually reveal the meaning.
Practise pronunciation slowly, especially nasal sounds such as vin and vingt.
Create one example sentence per word pair.
Review similar words together so your brain learns the contrast.
Next step for French learners
Confusing words become easier with regular exposure. Reading short texts, listening to native speakers and practising conversation all help you recognise meaning from context.
