What does the French word "travail" mean?

Question

Accepted Answer

Work. "Travail" means "work" in French, not "travel." This is one of the most common false cognates between French and English. "Je vais au travail" means "I am going to work." The French word for travel is "voyage" or "voyager" (to travel).

"Travel" in French is "le voyage" (noun) or "voyager" (verb) - not "travail." "Trial" in French is "le procès" or "l'essai." "Trouble" in French is "le problème" or "l'ennui," not "travail."

False cognates (faux amis) are heavily tested on the CLEP French Language Level 1 exam. Other important ones include: "assister à" means to attend (not to assist), "attendre" means to wait for (not to attend), "bras" means arm (not bra), "chair" means flesh (not chair), "coin" means corner (not coin), "monnaie" means change/currency (not money), and "préservatif" means condom (not preservative). Recognizing these prevents serious misunderstandings.

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