8 English Grammar Mistakes French Speakers Make (And How to Fix Them)

English Grammar Mistakes
French Speakers Make

Mistake Series · French Edition

English Grammar Mistakes French Speakers Make

French and English share a huge amount of vocabulary — which helps and hurts in equal measure. Here are the patterns that trip up French speakers most often, and exactly how to correct each one.

On this page

1. False friends
2. Gendered object pronouns
3. Adjective placement
4. Missing "do" in questions
5. "I am agree"
6. Make vs. do
7. Silent "H"
8. Nasal vowels

Mistake #1

False friends

French has even more false friends with English than most Romance languages, thanks to centuries of shared vocabulary that drifted apart in meaning.

French word	Looks like	Actually means
Actuellement	Actually	Currently
Librairie	Library	Bookshop
Assister	Assist	To attend

How to fix itTreat every French-looking English word with a little suspicion — check it once, then it's yours for good.

Mistake #2

Gendered pronouns for objects

Every French noun has a gender ("la table" is feminine), and that habit can carry into English, where objects are always "it."

✕She is broken. (about a table)

✓It is broken.

How to fix itEnglish only uses he/she for people and (sometimes) animals. Everything else is "it," no exceptions.

Mistake #3

Adjective placement

Many French adjectives follow the noun ("une voiture rouge"). English adjectives almost always come before it.

✕A car red.

✓A red car.

How to fix itBuild the habit of saying adjective-then-noun as one unit, out loud, until it stops feeling backwards.

Mistake #4

Missing "do" in questions and negatives

French doesn't use a dummy auxiliary verb the way English uses "do." This is one of the most persistent French-speaker mistakes at every level.

✕You like coffee? I not like it.

✓Do you like coffee? I don't like it.

How to fix itAny question or negative without another helping verb (is/can/will) needs "do/does/did" inserted — make it automatic.

Mistake #5

"I am agree" and other extra "to be" verbs

"Je suis d'accord" translates literally to "I am agree" — but "agree" is already a full verb in English and doesn't need "am" in front of it.

✕I am agree with you.

✓I agree with you.

How to fix itAsk: is this word already a verb? If yes, it doesn't need "am/is/are" attached to it.

Mistake #6

Make vs. do

Like Spanish and Portuguese, French uses one verb — faire — for both "make" and "do," so the English split has to be learned as fixed pairings.

Use "make" for	Use "do" for
make a decision	do business
make a mistake	do homework

How to fix itLearn these as vocabulary chunks, not grammar — write the pairing, not just the verb, in your notes.

Mistake #7

The silent "H" habit

French "h" is always silent, so the instinct is to drop it in English too — even when English "h" should be pronounced clearly.

✕'ouse, 'appy, 'otel

✓House, happy, hotel — light breath on the H

How to fix itPractice by exhaling gently right before the vowel — a breathy "h" is enough, it doesn't need force.

Mistake #8

Nasal vowels bleeding into English

French nasal vowels (in words like "bon" or "vin") have no real equivalent in English, and the habit can make English vowels sound nasalized when they shouldn't.

How to fix itRecord yourself saying pairs like "sing/seen" or "long/lawn" — nasal bleed is easier to hear in playback than to feel while speaking.

Business Practice

15 Essential Business Meeting Phrases (Spanish to English)

Master these common expressions used in professional meetings to sound fluent, confident, and natural:

#	Spanish Phrase	English Translation	Usage Context
1	"Comencemos con la reunión."	"Let's get down to business." / "Let's get started."	Opening a meeting officially.
2	"El objetivo de esta reunión es..."	"The purpose of this meeting is..."	Setting the agenda or goals.
3	"¿Todos tienen una copia de la agenda?"	"Does everyone have a copy of the agenda?"	Checking meeting materials.
4	"Estoy de acuerdo con ese punto."	"I agree with that point."	Expressing agreement politely.
5	"Entiendo tu punto, pero..."	"I see your point, but..."	Disagreeing or adding another perspective.
6	"¿Podrías aclarar eso?"	"Could you clarify that?"	Asking for more details or clarification.
7	"Volvamos al tema principal."	"Let's get back on track."	Refocusing the discussion.
8	"Me gustaría añadir algo aquí."	"I'd like to add something here."	Politely interrupting or offering input.
9	"¿Cuáles son los siguientes pasos?"	"What are the next steps?"	Moving toward action items.
10	"¿Quién está a cargo de esta tarea?"	"Who is taking the lead on this?"	Assigning responsibilities.
11	"Se nos está acabando el tiempo."	"We're running short on time."	Managing the meeting duration.
12	"Pospongamos este tema para la próxima sesión."	"Let's table this for the next meeting."	Deferring a topic for later.
13	"Te mantendré informado."	"I'll keep you in the loop."	Promising future updates.
14	"Gracias a todos por su tiempo."	"Thank you all for your time."	Concluding the meeting gracefully.
15	"Enviaré la minuta por correo electrónico."	"I'll send out the meeting minutes via email."	Following up post-meeting.

Pro TipAvoid literal word-for-word translations like saying "I am agree" (from "Estoy de acuerdo"). Always use the natural English equivalent "I agree" instead!

Take Your English Further

Targeting specific pronunciation habits is just one piece of the puzzle. To build full fluency and measure your overall progress, explore these resources:

Check your current level: Start with our free English Level Test to pinpoint your baseline proficiency.
Test speaking confidence: Evaluate your overall speaking clarity using the English Speaking Confidence Test.
Expand your vocabulary: Turn phonetic patterns into real communication with our interactive Vocabulary Game Test.
Practice daily routines: Turn sound fixes into permanent habits by applying our Best Speaking Practice guide.
Phonetic reference: To study official mouth positions and IPA symbols in depth, refer to the authoritative International Phonetic Alphabet Chart.

FAQ

Why does "do" feel so unnecessary to French speakers?

Because French simply doesn't use a dummy auxiliary for questions or negatives — the English pattern has no direct equivalent to translate from, so it has to be learned as a new rule rather than mapped from French.

Are false friends worse for French speakers than other learners?

Generally yes — French and English share an unusually large amount of Latin-derived vocabulary, which means more words look identical while carrying different meanings.

Which mistake should I prioritize?

Fix "do" in questions and negatives first — it affects a huge share of everyday sentences and is one of the fastest ways to sound more natural immediately.

Explore our Business English course →