Detailed Summary: "Faux amis: confus, confortable, supporter et course"

LanguaTalk Slow French with Gaëlle
Episode released: November 17, 2022

Episode Overview

In this episode, Gaëlle, an experienced French teacher, explores four commonly misunderstood French words—confus, confortable, supporter, and course—that are “faux amis” or false friends for English speakers. She breaks down each word, highlighting why these terms are tricky, explains their true meanings, and gives real-life examples for clarification. The episode’s main goal is to help A2-B1 learners avoid typical pitfalls and speak more accurately by understanding the real usage in French—often quite different from their English counterparts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Faux Amis

[00:23]

Faux amis are French words that look similar to English words but have different meanings.
Gaëlle outlines the four target words: confus, confortable, supporter, and course.

2. Confus

[00:48]

Common Mistake: Students say je suis confus to mean "I'm confused".
In French: Confus/confuse means "embarrassed" or "sorry" (more formal, literary).
Correct Usage:
- Excusez-moi, je suis vraiment confuse, je ne vous avais pas vu.
- Rare in daily conversation but used in formal language or literature.
When describing a situation:
- Cette situation est vraiment confuse = "This situation is unclear/confused".
- Son explication est confuse = "Her explanation is unclear."
Alternative phrases for "confused" (mental state):
- Je suis perdu/perdue (I'm lost)
- J'ai un doute (I have a doubt)
- Je suis perplexe (I'm perplexed)
- Je ne suis pas sûre d'avoir compris (I'm not sure I understood)

Notable Quote:

"Donc si je reprends mon exemple du début avec le restaurant, je peux dire ‘Attends, je suis perdue là. Est-ce que tu veux aller au restaurant ou pas?’"
(So with my example earlier about the restaurant, I would say 'Wait, I'm lost here. Do you want to go to the restaurant or not?') — Gaëlle [04:10]

3. Confortable

[05:15]

Common Mistake: Saying je suis confortable avec quelqu’un to mean "I'm comfortable with someone".
In French: Confortable refers to physical comfort (furniture, spaces), never emotions or social ease.
- Mon salon est très confortable (My living room is very comfortable.)
Emotional comfort:
- Use à l’aise (at ease)
  - Je suis très à l’aise avec elle. (I'm very comfortable with her.)
  - Je suis à l’aise dans cette situation. (I'm at ease in this situation.)
Opposites:
- Inconfortable = physically uncomfortable
- Mal à l’aise = emotionally/socially uncomfortable

Notable Quote:

"Parler en public, ce n'est pas un problème pour moi, je suis à l’aise dans cette situation."
(Public speaking isn’t a problem for me, I’m at ease in this situation.) — Gaëlle [07:12]

4. Supporter

[08:40]

Common Mistake: Using supporter for "to support" (to encourage, back someone).
In French:
- Supporter = to bear, tolerate, stand (not emotional support)
  - Je supporte bien le stress (I can bear stress.)
  - Je ne supporte pas les chiens (I can't stand dogs.)
  - Arrête de faire ça, c’est insupportable. (Stop doing that, it’s unbearable.)
- Insupportable = unbearable (for situations or people)
- Can mean “to support” only in a physical or architectural sense:
  - Les murs supportent le toit (The walls support the roof.)
Correct term for emotional/figurative support:
- Soutenir
  - Ma femme veut devenir écrivaine, je la soutiens complètement. (My wife wants to become a writer. I support her completely.)

Notable Quote:

"Supporter, ça veut dire to stand, to bear, mais si vous voulez dire ‘to support’, vas-y, go for it, I’m with you, en français on dit soutenir."
(Supporter means to stand/bear, but for 'to support' as in cheering or backing someone, we say 'soutenir'.) — Gaëlle [11:43]

5. Course

[12:32]

Common Mistake: Saying un course as “a course”/class.
In French:
- Les courses (always pronounced the 's') = food shopping/groceries
  - Je fais les courses le samedi soir (I do the groceries Saturday night.)
- Une course = race (e.g., une course automobile – a car race)
- For “a course” (class): un cours (no ‘e’ at the end, and no pronounced ‘s’)
  - J’ai suivi un cours d’art (I took an art class.)
  - Les cours de français avec Gaëlle sont très intéressants (Gaëlle’s French classes are very interesting.)

Notable Quote:

"Si vous voulez dire a course (class), on dit un cours. Avec mon exemple de tout à l’heure, je vais dire ‘J’ai suivi un cours d’art’ et pas ‘un course d’art’."
(If you want to say 'a course' as in a class, you say 'un cours', not 'un course'.) — Gaëlle [14:36]

6. Practice Story with All Four Words

[15:55]

Gaëlle reads a story mixing up all four words (the faux amis and their proper French equivalents), then offers a slower, translated version.
Scenario:
- Went to IKEA for a sofa (not comfortable — confortable);
- Needed help, bothered a client thinking he was a salesperson (he had to supporter the questions, became mal à l’aise, she was perplexe, then confuse—embarrassed);
- Did les courses (grocery shopping) at a supermarket;
- Met students collecting for a charity for economics cours (classes)—she decided to soutenir their project.

Notable Quotes:

"J'étais terriblement gênée et confuse. Je me suis excusée et je suis vite partie."
(I was terribly embarrassed and confused. I apologized and quickly left.) — Gaëlle [16:45]

"Ils m'ont dit que pour leurs cours d’économie, ils devaient soutenir un projet caritatif. J’ai décidé de les soutenir et j’ai donné de l’argent à l’association."
(They told me that for their economics course, they had to support a charity project. I decided to support them and gave money to the association.) — Gaëlle [18:05]

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:23 — Introduction to the episode and “faux amis.”
00:48 – 05:10 — Explanation of confus/confuse, its uses, and alternatives.
05:15 – 08:35 — Explanation of confortable, être à l’aise, and opposites.
08:40 – 12:30 — Supporter vs. soutenir explanation with examples.
12:32 – 15:50 — Course vs. cours vs. les courses.
15:55 – 19:30 — Story integrating all words, slow repetition, and translation.
19:35 – end — Closing (ads, outro; not summarized).

Memorable Moments & Quotes

[04:10]

"Attends, je suis perdue là. Est-ce que tu veux aller au restaurant ou pas ?"
(Wait, I'm lost here. Do you want to go to the restaurant or not?)

[07:12]

"Parler en public, ce n’est pas un problème pour moi, je suis à l’aise dans cette situation."
(Public speaking isn’t a problem for me, I’m at ease in this situation.)

[11:43]

"Supporter, ça veut dire to stand, to bear, mais si vous voulez dire ‘to support’, vas-y, go for it, I’m with you, en français on dit soutenir."
(Supporter means to stand/bear, but for 'to support' as in cheering or backing someone, we say 'soutenir'.)

[14:36]

"Si vous voulez dire a course (class), on dit un cours. Avec mon exemple de tout à l’heure, je vais dire ‘J’ai suivi un cours d’art’ et pas ‘un course d’art’."
(If you want to say 'a course' as in a class, you say 'un cours', not 'un course'.)

[16:45]

"J’étais terriblement gênée et confuse. Je me suis excusée et je suis vite partie."
(I was terribly embarrassed and confused. I apologized and quickly left.)

Episode Tone and Style

Gaëlle speaks clearly and slowly, with warmth, humor, and encouragement. She makes use of relatable real-world examples and gently corrects common student errors, making the content accessible for lower intermediate learners. The emphasis throughout is practical usage and helping listeners feel confident.

Takeaways

Faux amis can seriously trip up English-speaking French learners.
Pay attention to context—words that look similar (confus, confortable, supporter, course) often have different meanings.
To express emotion or support, French often uses totally different vocabulary from English.
Practice by listening and repeating, as well as noticing these distinctions in real-life situations.

For additional practice, check out the interactive transcript and consider repeating the episode while shadowing Gaëlle’s pronunciation.

End of summary.

Detailed Summary: "Faux amis: confus, confortable, supporter et course"

LanguaTalk Slow French with Gaëlle
Episode released: November 17, 2022

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Faux Amis

[00:23]

Faux amis are French words that look similar to English words but have different meanings.
Gaëlle outlines the four target words: confus, confortable, supporter, and course.

2. Confus

[00:48]

Common Mistake: Students say je suis confus to mean "I'm confused".
In French: Confus/confuse means "embarrassed" or "sorry" (more formal, literary).
Correct Usage:
- Excusez-moi, je suis vraiment confuse, je ne vous avais pas vu.
- Rare in daily conversation but used in formal language or literature.
When describing a situation:
- Cette situation est vraiment confuse = "This situation is unclear/confused".
- Son explication est confuse = "Her explanation is unclear."
Alternative phrases for "confused" (mental state):
- Je suis perdu/perdue (I'm lost)
- J'ai un doute (I have a doubt)
- Je suis perplexe (I'm perplexed)
- Je ne suis pas sûre d'avoir compris (I'm not sure I understood)

Notable Quote:

"Donc si je reprends mon exemple du début avec le restaurant, je peux dire ‘Attends, je suis perdue là. Est-ce que tu veux aller au restaurant ou pas?’"
(So with my example earlier about the restaurant, I would say 'Wait, I'm lost here. Do you want to go to the restaurant or not?') — Gaëlle [04:10]

3. Confortable

[05:15]

Common Mistake: Saying je suis confortable avec quelqu’un to mean "I'm comfortable with someone".
In French: Confortable refers to physical comfort (furniture, spaces), never emotions or social ease.
- Mon salon est très confortable (My living room is very comfortable.)
Emotional comfort:
- Use à l’aise (at ease)
  - Je suis très à l’aise avec elle. (I'm very comfortable with her.)
  - Je suis à l’aise dans cette situation. (I'm at ease in this situation.)
Opposites:
- Inconfortable = physically uncomfortable
- Mal à l’aise = emotionally/socially uncomfortable

Notable Quote:

"Parler en public, ce n'est pas un problème pour moi, je suis à l’aise dans cette situation."
(Public speaking isn’t a problem for me, I’m at ease in this situation.) — Gaëlle [07:12]

4. Supporter

[08:40]

Common Mistake: Using supporter for "to support" (to encourage, back someone).
In French:
- Supporter = to bear, tolerate, stand (not emotional support)
  - Je supporte bien le stress (I can bear stress.)
  - Je ne supporte pas les chiens (I can't stand dogs.)
  - Arrête de faire ça, c’est insupportable. (Stop doing that, it’s unbearable.)
- Insupportable = unbearable (for situations or people)
- Can mean “to support” only in a physical or architectural sense:
  - Les murs supportent le toit (The walls support the roof.)
Correct term for emotional/figurative support:
- Soutenir
  - Ma femme veut devenir écrivaine, je la soutiens complètement. (My wife wants to become a writer. I support her completely.)

Notable Quote:

"Supporter, ça veut dire to stand, to bear, mais si vous voulez dire ‘to support’, vas-y, go for it, I’m with you, en français on dit soutenir."
(Supporter means to stand/bear, but for 'to support' as in cheering or backing someone, we say 'soutenir'.) — Gaëlle [11:43]

5. Course

[12:32]

Common Mistake: Saying un course as “a course”/class.
In French:
- Les courses (always pronounced the 's') = food shopping/groceries
  - Je fais les courses le samedi soir (I do the groceries Saturday night.)
- Une course = race (e.g., une course automobile – a car race)
- For “a course” (class): un cours (no ‘e’ at the end, and no pronounced ‘s’)
  - J’ai suivi un cours d’art (I took an art class.)
  - Les cours de français avec Gaëlle sont très intéressants (Gaëlle’s French classes are very interesting.)

Notable Quote:

"Si vous voulez dire a course (class), on dit un cours. Avec mon exemple de tout à l’heure, je vais dire ‘J’ai suivi un cours d’art’ et pas ‘un course d’art’."
(If you want to say 'a course' as in a class, you say 'un cours', not 'un course'.) — Gaëlle [14:36]

6. Practice Story with All Four Words

[15:55]

Gaëlle reads a story mixing up all four words (the faux amis and their proper French equivalents), then offers a slower, translated version.
Scenario:
- Went to IKEA for a sofa (not comfortable — confortable);
- Needed help, bothered a client thinking he was a salesperson (he had to supporter the questions, became mal à l’aise, she was perplexe, then confuse—embarrassed);
- Did les courses (grocery shopping) at a supermarket;
- Met students collecting for a charity for economics cours (classes)—she decided to soutenir their project.

Notable Quotes:

"J'étais terriblement gênée et confuse. Je me suis excusée et je suis vite partie."
(I was terribly embarrassed and confused. I apologized and quickly left.) — Gaëlle [16:45]

"Ils m'ont dit que pour leurs cours d’économie, ils devaient soutenir un projet caritatif. J’ai décidé de les soutenir et j’ai donné de l’argent à l’association."
(They told me that for their economics course, they had to support a charity project. I decided to support them and gave money to the association.) — Gaëlle [18:05]

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:23 — Introduction to the episode and “faux amis.”
00:48 – 05:10 — Explanation of confus/confuse, its uses, and alternatives.
05:15 – 08:35 — Explanation of confortable, être à l’aise, and opposites.
08:40 – 12:30 — Supporter vs. soutenir explanation with examples.
12:32 – 15:50 — Course vs. cours vs. les courses.
15:55 – 19:30 — Story integrating all words, slow repetition, and translation.
19:35 – end — Closing (ads, outro; not summarized).

Memorable Moments & Quotes

[04:10]

"Attends, je suis perdue là. Est-ce que tu veux aller au restaurant ou pas ?"
(Wait, I'm lost here. Do you want to go to the restaurant or not?)

[07:12]

"Parler en public, ce n’est pas un problème pour moi, je suis à l’aise dans cette situation."
(Public speaking isn’t a problem for me, I’m at ease in this situation.)

[11:43]

"Supporter, ça veut dire to stand, to bear, mais si vous voulez dire ‘to support’, vas-y, go for it, I’m with you, en français on dit soutenir."
(Supporter means to stand/bear, but for 'to support' as in cheering or backing someone, we say 'soutenir'.)

[14:36]

"Si vous voulez dire a course (class), on dit un cours. Avec mon exemple de tout à l’heure, je vais dire ‘J’ai suivi un cours d’art’ et pas ‘un course d’art’."
(If you want to say 'a course' as in a class, you say 'un cours', not 'un course'.)

[16:45]

"J’étais terriblement gênée et confuse. Je me suis excusée et je suis vite partie."
(I was terribly embarrassed and confused. I apologized and quickly left.)

Episode Tone and Style

Takeaways

Faux amis can seriously trip up English-speaking French learners.
Pay attention to context—words that look similar (confus, confortable, supporter, course) often have different meanings.
To express emotion or support, French often uses totally different vocabulary from English.
Practice by listening and repeating, as well as noticing these distinctions in real-life situations.

For additional practice, check out the interactive transcript and consider repeating the episode while shadowing Gaëlle’s pronunciation.

End of summary.

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Faux amis: confus, confortable, supporter et course

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Summary

Detailed Summary: "Faux amis: confus, confortable, supporter et course"

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Faux Amis

2. Confus

3. Confortable

4. Supporter

5. Course

6. Practice Story with All Four Words

Timestamps for Key Segments

Memorable Moments & Quotes

Episode Tone and Style

Takeaways

Summary

Detailed Summary: "Faux amis: confus, confortable, supporter et course"

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Faux Amis

2. Confus

3. Confortable

4. Supporter

5. Course

6. Practice Story with All Four Words

Timestamps for Key Segments

Memorable Moments & Quotes

Episode Tone and Style

Takeaways