14 French words which look English - but are not

1/ Une basket = a sports shoe /trainer. It is often used in the plural, ‘des baskets’ to say a pair of trainers. There is also the expression ‘être bien dans ses baskets’ (literally to be good in your shoes) which means to be at ease.

2/ Un footing = a run/jog .

3/ Un relooking = a makeover.

4/ Un dressing = a wardrobe.

5/ Un after-work = French people like saying that they are going to an ‘after-work’, meaning they are going to have some drinks with their colleagues after work.

6/ Un planning = a schedule.

7/ Les people = In French this means celebrities. We often talk about ‘la presse people’ to say tabloids…

8/ Un brushing = a blow-dry at the hairdresser’s.

9/ Un parking = a car park.

10/ Un smoking = a dinner jacket.

11/ Un baby-foot = table football.

12/ Un sweat = a jumper. To say sweat (as in transpire) you use the verb transpirer in French.

13/ Des chips = crisps, whereas chips are frites in English.

14/ Le zapping = the act of hopping between TV channels.