ILEIID 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS
Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXIV October 2025
Page 102
www.rsisinternational.org
False Friends in French as a Third Language: Insights from a Pilot
Study
1
Nik Nur Nadhirah Zakaria,
*2
Saidah Ismail,
3
Nazurah Izzati Yazid,
4
Haslinda Md Isa,
5
Norliza Che
Mustafa,
6
Nurul Amirah Khairul Amali
1,2,4,5,6
Akademi Pengajian Bahasa, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam
3
Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur
*Corresponding Author
DOI: https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.924ILEIID0012
Received: 23 September 2025; Accepted: 30 September 2025; Published: 29 October 2025
ABSTRACT
This pilot study investigates the phenomenon of false friends in the acquisition of French as a third language
among students at a public university in Malaysia. False friends are pairs of lexical items that share similar
forms or pronunciations across languages but differ in meaning, often creating confusion and
misunderstanding. Since English is widely used as a second language in Malaysia, French–English false
friends pose a particular challenge for learners when acquiring French. The main objective of this research is to
investigate whether students who completed 3 levels of French lessons still struggle with French-English false
friends. This study also explored the most common false friends among these French learners. The study
employed a quantitative method in which 30 students who completed 3 levels of French lessons answered a set
of questions requiring them to choose the correct translation for each French word. Data were collected
through the participation of learners, focusing on the identification and analysis of common French–English
false friends. Findings reveal that false friends indeed still exist among students and words such as
symphatique, maintenant and journal got the highest percentage of wrong answers. Pedagogical
recommendations include the use of visual materials and context based lessons in improving learners’
comprehension and overall communicative competence.
Keywords: false friend, lexical items, French as a third language, misunderstanding
INTRODUCTION
The crucial part of foreign language learning is vocabulary. Not only learners, but educators also struggle in
the process of teaching and educating foreign languages in regards to vocabulary. One of the challenges of
vocabulary teaching is the presence of false friends.
According to Chamizo Dominguez & Brigitte Neirlich (2002), false friends are a case when a word from
multiple languages possess similar pronunciation and/or spelling but hold different definitions. False friends
are also defined as terms in two languages that appear and sound alike but possess distinct meaning and
context. (Khalil et al. 2018)
False friends are seen to be actively occurring during foreign language lessons as students who are still in the
early stage of learning might try to relate their current language knowledge with the newly learned language. A
study of Laureanda (2024), has proved that students who are still in school made more mistakes of false friends
as opposed to those in higher education level.
Notably, Malaysia is a country in which the people speak more than one language with English as the
prevailing second language (Abu Bakar et al.2021). Despite the fact that most Malaysians are inherently
ILEIID 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS
Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXIV October 2025
Page 103
www.rsisinternational.org
multilingual, this does not hinder students from acquiring more foreign languages. Hussin et al.(2023)
mentioned that the French language began to expand in Malaysia especially in Higher Learning Institutions..
Hence, this study is to investigate false friends French-English phrases occurring among Level 3 French
language students in public universities and which words that learners still tend to confuse despite completing
three levels of French lessons.
This investigation is done to answer the following questions;
Do false friends happen in public universities French class?
What are the common French false friends words among students?
LITERATURE REVIEW
False Friends/ Faux Amis/ False Cognates in learning foreign language
When learning French, some words appear and mean the same, like animal. These are identified as cognates.
But some words, like librairie, which means bookstore, not library, can be misleading. These are known as
false friends or faux amis. Students get easily confused when they encounter these words. So, how do we
identify which words are friends and which are not?
Cognates are defined as "a word in one language that is very similar in form and meaning to a word in another
language because both languages are related" (Richards, Platt, & Platt, 1992, as cited in Lengeling, 1996). In
addition, Carroll (1992) defines cognates as “lexical items from different languages which are identified by
bilinguals as somehow being ‘the same thing.’” Moreover, cognates are proposed to have at least four main
characteristics: they always have a set form, they are words, the words may or may not mean the same, and
they always look a bit similar. For example, in French and English, the words "animal" and "excellent" are
related. In other words, these cognates have a similar form, come from the same source, and have the same
meaning in English and French or across different languages.
It is said that even though false cognates can be confusing because they have different meanings from words
with similar spellings, cognates are still helpful in learning a foreign language (Lengeling, 1992). In addition, it
is suggested that cognates and false cognates may create problems for students if teachers ignore them during
lessons. This is because these words are often assumed to be very similar in both the native and target
languages. As a result, teachers may overlook false cognates and pay little attention to them.
Recently, Abu-Snoubar et al. (2024) divided false friends into two types: absolute false friends and partial false
friends while studying the concept in two unrelated languages, Arabic and English. They aimed to explore the
sources of possible confusion found in modern Arabic and English. Furthermore, they pointed out that false
friends can make communication difficult between students and teachers of a language.
Lengeling (1996) further suggested that, to stimulate vocabulary improvement in language learning, the
instruction of cognates and false friends should be included. For instance, in the classroom, teachers can start
by asking students to guess the meaning of cognates to help them build vocabulary and remember the words
better. Moreover, knowing the problems with cognates can help students learn a language because they
become more careful with similar words. Therefore, teachers should teach them, and students will benefit from
the practice.
Similarly, Abu-Rabiah (2025) supported Lengeling’s (1996) findings. The study explored how cognates, false
cognates (FCs), and non-cognate translation equivalents (NCTEs) influence foreign language students’ ability
to recognize the correct meanings of words in their first language. It focused on two languages with different
writing systems: Hebrew and Arabic. The study emphasized that it is valuable in vocabulary acquisition to
highlight the connections between words in the students’ native language and the target language. This process
helps students expand their vocabulary faster. Besides, teachers would be able to monitor students, and at the
ILEIID 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS
Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXIV October 2025
Page 104
www.rsisinternational.org
same time, they can point out these similar words so students know when words from different languages
mean the same thing and when they only appear the same but have different meanings. On top of that, Abu-
Rabiah (2025) discovered that the confusing effect of false friends decreased with more second or foreign
language learning, as students understood better phonological similarities.
In addition, Azieb, AL-Khanji, & Tarawneh (2021) supported Abu-Rabiah’s (2025) and Lengeling’s (1996)
findings. They recommended that teachers include cognate recognition strategies in their teaching. The study
attempted to answer whether Jordanian students were aware of cognates in English and French and whether
knowing them made learning French easier. The findings suggest that students gained from their English
background, and cognates helped them understand French. However, in translation, some students ignored the
differences between English and French words. Thus, they misunderstood the text.
Past Studies on False Friends/ Faux Amis/ False Cognates in learning foreign language
The phenomenon of false friends (faux amis) in foreign language learning has attracted considerable scholarly
attention, particularly in the context of cross-linguistic interference. Faux-amis, which share similar forms
across languages but differ in meaning, pose significant aid as well as challenges for language learners.
The study by Hoang and Vo (2023) is done to investigate the influence of English language knowledge on
French learning through false friends phenomena and errors caused by false friends in written production. This
research examined English-major students learning French as a second foreign language at the University of
Foreign Languages and International Studies (HUFLIS), Hue University. The study involved 30 English-major
students whose French level was A2+ according to CEFR. The researchers collected and analyzed 150 written
copies across 5 different writing topics (100-120 words each) and conducted interviews with students. The
findings showed that English proficiency both facilitated French acquisition and hindered comprehension of
lexical semantics due to false friends. Students made frequent errors with words like "actuellement/actually,"
"assister/assist," "attendre/attend," and "blesser/bless." The study found that students systematically relied on
English words resembling French ones when they lacked vocabulary, leading to semantic confusion. The
implications suggest that teachers should explicitly address similarities and differences between languages,
emphasize contextual understanding, and provide translation exercises with false friends to develop linguistic
awareness.
The study by Burkholder (2015) also looked at how false friend meanings interfere in L1 word processing and
how this interference changes as a function of L2 proficiency. This research investigated lexico-semantic
ambiguity across English and French using different types of false friends (Full False Cognates, Partial False
Cognates, Full Interlingual Homographs, and Partial Interlingual Homographs). The study involved 39
participants aged 18-22: 17 functional English monolinguals, 12 mid-proficiency English-French bilinguals,
and 10 high-proficiency English-French bilinguals. The instrument was a speeded semantic relatedness task
where participants rated similarity between English word pairs on a 6-point scale, plus language background
questionnaires, a French cloze test, and a translation post-test. The findings revealed that L2 French meanings
significantly interfered with L1 English processing for bilinguals across most false friend types, with both
bilingual groups showing similar interference effects regardless of proficiency level. The implications indicate
that false friends cause cross-language lexical interference even in L1-only tasks, supporting models of
integrated bilingual lexicons and suggesting that complete orthographic overlap is not necessary for cross-
language activation effects.
These studies demonstrate that faux amis present a double-edged phenomenon in language learning: while
lexical similarities between languages can facilitate initial vocabulary acquisition by providing familiar forms,
they simultaneously create interference that leads to semantic errors and processing difficulties. The research
reveals that learners benefit from the formal resemblance of false friends but struggle with their deceptive
meanings.
ILEIID 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS
Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXIV October 2025
Page 105
www.rsisinternational.org
METHODOLOGY
This quantitative study is done to investigate the phenomenon of faux amis in the acquisition of French as a
third language among 30 students at a public university in Malaysia. The instrument used was a list of words
taken from level 1, 2, and 3 textbooks that were used by students throughout the 3 semesters.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Findings for Demographic Profile
Table 1- Percentage for Gender
1
Male
53.3%
2
Female
46.7%
Based on Table 1, male respondents are 53.3% while female respondents are 46.7%.
Table 2- Percentage for Discipline
1
30%
2
56.7%
3
13.3%
Table 2 indicates that 30% of the respondents are from Science and Technology, 56.7% are from Social
Sciences and Humanities and the remaining 13.3% are from Technology and Business.
Table 3- Percentage for false friends translation choices
Question (French)
Option (English)
% of Responses
1. Stylo
Pen
63.3%
Style/Stylish
20%
Pencil
13.3%
Stiletto
3.3%
2. Crayon
Crayon
50%
Pencil
40%
Pencil colour
10%
Pen
0%
3. Journal
Book
50%
Journalist
23.3%
Newspaper
20%
Calendar
6.7%
4. Jolie
Pretty
50%
ILEIID 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS
Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXIV October 2025
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Joy
30%
Happy
16.7%
Jolly
3.3%
5. Mince
Thin
66.7%
Mince
20%
Mice
10%
Thick
3.3%
6. Gentil
Kind
60%
Gentle
33.3%
Soft
6.7%
Gentlemen
0%
7. Sympathiqu
e
Sympathy
43.3%
Sympathetic
40%
Nice
16.7%
Charming
0%
8. Cent
Hundred
60%
Cent
23.3%
Coins
13.3%
Centimetre
3.3%
9. Regarder
Watch/Look
73.3%
Walk
13.3%
Regard
10%
Regarding
3.3%
10. Dessiner
Draw
36.7%
Designer
36.7%
Design
16.7%
Dance
10%
11. Maison
House
73.3%
Mansion
23.3%
Villa
3.3%
Duplex
0%
ILEIID 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS
Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXIV October 2025
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12. Magasin
Magazine
63.3%
Store
26.7%
News paper
10%
Diary
0%
13. Maintenant
Maintenance
66.7%
Now
20%
Maintain
6.7%
Today
6.7%
14. Comme
Ask
46.7%
As
36.7%
Comma
10%
Come
6.7%
15. Journée
Day
73.3%
Journey
26.7%
Journal
0%
Year
0%
16. Pendant
During
63.3%
Pendant
20%
Necklace
16.7%
Jewellery
0%
17. Stage
Internship
40%
Stage
40%
Step
10%
Interview
10%
18. Licence
License
70%
Bachelor degree
26.7%
Ticket
3.3%
Bill
0%
19. Roman
Novel
40%
Romance
33.3%
Romanian
20%
Comic
6.7%
ILEIID 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS
Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXIV October 2025
Page 108
www.rsisinternational.org
20. Travail
Work
60%
Travel
36.7%
Trivial
3.3%
Trial
0%
Table 3 displayed all bolded words as the correct English translation to the French word. Based on Table 3, the
word sympathique only has 16.7% students who answered it correctly as nice. Next, both French words of
maintenant and journal results in 20% of correct responses which are now and newspaper respectively. Besides
that, Table 3 also displays the French words of regarder, maison, and journée with the highest percentage of
correct answers at 73.3%.
CONCLUSION
This study shows that despite completing three levels of French lessons, students still confuse false friends'
French words. Table 3 shows that all 20 questions received multiple answers and none achieved 100% correct
answers. Hence, false friends indeed happen in a French class. This is because these learners who are non-
native speakers are still not familiar with their newly learned language and still mix up French words with
English words due to their similar spellings and meaning as English words. This is in line with research made
by Hong and Vo (2023) in which they found that students resort to English words that appear to be closely
related with the French word whenever they forget a meaning of a certain word.
Table 3 shows that French words with similar or closely similar spellings with English words, received
considerably higher incorrect answers. For example, the French word of sympathique is the topmost word that
student confused with as only 16.7% got it correctly. Most of them mistaken the answer as sympathy. Other
than that, most learners also got the French word of maintenant and journal wrong. 80% from these 30
respondents answered incorrectly. The majority of the students chose maintenance and book as their answer.
Students' answer pattern clearly indicates that they rely on visual similarity of French words compared to
English words. As an example, sympathique looks closely alike as an English word of sympathy hence their
answer choice. The same case happened for the French word of maintenant that looks similar to the English
word of maintenance.
Besides that, students also signify that their thought process of choosing an answer is according to their prior
knowledge of English. Based on the study, learners select book as the answer for journal French word
translation because book and journal in English are in the same category of things. Despite not having similar
spelling, students still chose book as the answer because of the item’s nature.
Pedagogical Implications and Suggestions for Future Research
Learning a foreign language requires a lot of memorisation, especially during the earlier stage of learning.
Thus,this could result in false friends as learners might get confused about the meaning of the words and resort
to the same spelling of French- English words whenever they couldn't remember the word’s definition (Hong
and Vo 2023).
As an educator, the lecturer should anticipate false friends during lessons in class. Common French words that
students inclined to be mistaken should be noted by lecturers and more attention should be paid on these words
especially words from this study that came up on the top list of the false friends percentage. Visual learning is
proven to be effective in memorisation (Pateşan et al 2018). This can enhance students’ memory of words’
definition and lessen wrong translation of words, mainly false friends. Teaching false friends in context could
also help minimize false friends to happen, this is because students might understand the word better and so
result in improved memorisation.
ILEIID 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS
Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXIV October 2025
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Future researchers could look into reasons behind false friends among students so that educators could tackle
this issue more efficiently by diving into the roots of the problem. Besides that, more words could be included
in studies apart from the 20 French words in this study to investigate more common false friends among
learners. Longitudinal study could also be implemented to observe if false friends errors decrease as learners
progress in their studies.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
All authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study.
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