French words used in English
Using French words while talking in English is not new. French has been a part of English language for a very long time now. Learn these and add them to your vocabulary.
There are many words that are used in English language whose origin is French. French words in English are mostly in written format. In spoken English, there are very few French words that are used by English speakers. Most of the English words with French roots are morphed, from changing their spellings, to changing their pronunciations. Here are some of the French words and phrases that you have already seen… in English.
Common French words used in English
| Cliche | An overused idea or expression. |
| Debacle | Failure |
| Faux | False, imitation or not real. |
| Genre | A kind, type or category. |
| Voyeur | A prying observer. |
| Queue | A line. |
| Chauffeur | A person who driver others. |
| Bouquet | A bunch of flowers or an arrangement of flowers. |
| Arcade | A passageway or sometimes also used for a place where video games are played. |
| Pavilion | A part of the building that is open to the outside. |
| Cafe | A coffeehouse. |
| Abbey | A type of monastery. |
| Diner | A small restaurant. |
| Bon appetit | Enjoy your meal. |
| Menu | A list of food items or dishes. |
| A la carte | According to the menu. |
| Hors d'œuvre | Appetizers. |
| Avant-garde | A very innovative style. |
| Chic | Stylish. |
| Eau de toilette | A scented liquid applied on the skin. |
| Petite | Small in size. |
| Cologne | Scented water. |
| Couture | Fashionable |
French phrases used in English
| Bon voyage | Have a good journey. |
| Deja Vu | A feeling that you have experienced before. |
| Coup d'etat | to seize a move or an act. |
| Faux pas | A social blunder. |
| Je ne sais quoi | A quality that is hard to describe. It literally means “I don’t know what to do”. |
| Voila | There it is! |
| Carte blanche | To have full authority. |
| Apropos | Opportune. |
French words are used in English because of their beauty and influence over a lot of things like food, places, buildings, architecture, clothes etc. Continue your language learning by exploring more other languages that have inspired you. If you are an English speaker and if you think that French is a difficult language, and if that stops you from learning this language, then you might be wrong. We do use a lot of French in our daily English conversations! Now that you know a few French words, why not learn more?
| authority | the power or right to give orders |
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