Language/French/Vocabulary/Same-Word-Different-Spelling

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Same Words with Different Meanings

Salut French learners,

Here is a list of words that can be written in several ways in French and that have the same meaning.

You can complete this list by editing this wiki page if necessary.

French word English translation Comment
ailloli/aïoli ailloli
bistro/bistrot bar
cacahuète/cacahouète peanut
clef/clé Key The spelling "clef" is the oldest. It comes from the Latin "clavis" which gradually transformed into "clé" without the "f". It was a writing problem that made the change because in the 18th century we wrote in the plural "clés" and not "clefs". In addition, at the pronunciation level it is the same thing. "Clé" is now more used, but "clef" is resisting ! Both spellings are recognized by the French Academy. In the plural, it is easier to write "clés"
cuillère/cuiller spoon
feignant/fainéant lazy The words "feignant" and "fainéant" have the same meaning in everyday language. However, there is a difference between "un fainéant" (fait rien), a lazy person (does nothing) and someone who pretends to work ("feignant" from the verbe "feindre", il feint le travail).
granit/granite granite
île/isle Isle
irakien/iraquien Iraqi
laïc/laïque laic
ognon/oignon ognon
orang-outang/orang-outan Orangutan
paie/paye Pay
pic-vert/pivert. woodpecker
pizzéria/pizzeria pizzeria
resurgir/ressurgir resurface
saoul/soûl. drunk
tsar/tzar tsar
yaourt/yogourt/yoghourt Yogurt

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