54 French words used in English
We’ve written a lot of language guides here at Lingoda, but this one might be the crème de la crème. We’re talking today, of course, about French words that have made their way into the English language. Though many of us are familiar with Anglicisms — English words that have crept into almost every major language worldwide — the exchange sometimes goes both ways.
This is especially true when it comes to French. Every English speaker is familiar with at least a few French words. For example, we talk about having déjà vu, ask people to RSVP and wish others bon voyage before a journey. All these borrowed words mean that English speakers have a head start when learning French, as they have already assimilated some French words and phrases into their everyday vocabulary!
French terms have made it into every facet of the English language, from food to art to places to people. Here are 54 of the most common French words and phrases used in English.
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Why are there so many French words in the English language?
Linguistically speaking, English is classified as a Germanic language. So, why are there so many French words in English?
It all comes down to history — specifically, the Norman conquest of England in 1066. The Normans (who spoke a form of French) invaded England and brought their language with them. Over the next few centuries, French words became a part of the English language.
Fun fact: In many cases, words of Germanic and French origin are synonyms in English, with the French word taking on a more formal connotation. “Drink” is Germanic; “beverage” is French. “Brotherly” is Germanic; “fraternal” is French. And so on.
Food
French food (or should we say cuisine?) is revered worldwide, so it’s no wonder that so many of our culinary terms are French.
| French | English meaning |
| restaurant | restaurant |
| café | cafe |
| menu | menu |
| à la carte | individual dishes on a menu |
| chef | cook |
| cordon bleu | chef who cooks to the highest standard, or food prepared to that standard |
| maître d’hôtel* | head waiter |
| sommelier | wine expert |
| apéritif | pre-dinner drink, often with small snacks |
| hors d’œuvre | small appetizer before a meal |
* Maître d’hôtel is often shortened to “maître d’” in English.
Several foods in English have names that come from French, like soufflé, croissant and omelet. Some food items have French names in British English but don’t in American English.
| French/British English | American English/meaning |
| courgette | zucchini |
| aubergine | eggplant |
| gâteau | large cake filled with cream and fruits |
Finally, one of the most famous sandwich shop chains in the U.K. is Pret a Manger (“Ready to Eat”), affectionately known as “Pret.”
Art and fashion
It’s a bit of a cliché to say French people are chic, but the stereotype remains. These French words are connected to English descriptions of art and fashion.
| French | English meaning |
| petite | short or small |
| boutique | small, often independent shop |
| lingerie | lingerie |
| silhouette | silhouette |
| haute couture | high fashion |
| prêt-à-porter | ready-to-wear |
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Places
Beyond restaurants and cafés, here are some other English place names with French origins.
| French | English meaning |
| cul-de-sac | street that is closed at one end |
| cinéma | cinema |
| milieu | social environment |
| crèche | day nursery for young children (British English) |
| garage | garage* |
* “Garage” is sometimes pronounced “garidge” by English speakers, which we can only assume makes French people cringe or laugh really hard.
People
We mentioned “chef,” “maitre d’” and “sommelier” already. Here are some more English words for people that are borrowed from French.
| French | English meaning |
| fiancé(e) | fiancé(e)* |
| au pair | young person who lives with a family in another country to learn the language and help take care of the children |
| bon vivant | person who lives well |
| charlatan | person who pretends to be knowledgeable or skillful but is not really |
| chauffeur | driver |
| concierge | person who works in a hotel, giving guests information and helping them with reservations |
| attaché | person who works at an embassy |
* A fiancé is a man someone is engaged to be married to. A fiancée is a woman someone is engaged to be married to. In English, “fiancé” is sometimes used regardless of gender.
French words à gogo
There are so many more French words in English. Here are some random ones we couldn’t resist including.
| French | English meaning |
| homage | something you say or do to show great respect for someone |
| blasé | not excited or worried about something or wanting to appear that way |
| panache | an original, stylish and lively way of doing things |
| en route | on the way |
| touché | an exclamation to admit that someone has made a good point against your argument |
Et voilà!
These are just a few of the thousands of French words used in English. England’s long and complicated history means that the etymology of words in English is fascinating, with French having had a particularly huge and lasting influence. Next time you order à la carte, park your car in the garage or comment on someone’s panache, you can thank the French language for injecting a little joie de vivre into your speech.
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Laura Jones
Laura is a freelance writer and was an ESL teacher for eight years. She was born in the UK and has lived in Australia and Poland, where she writes blogs for Lingoda about everything from grammar to dating English speakers. She’s definitely better at the first one. She loves travelling and that’s the other major topic that she writes on. Laura likes pilates and cycling, but when she’s feeling lazy she can be found curled up watching Netflix. She’s currently learning Polish, and her battle with that mystifying language has given her huge empathy for anyone struggling to learn English. Find out more about her work in her portfolio.
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