Turn familiar English words into recognizable French.
Begin with high-utility word families, then study spelling shifts, prefixes, false cognates, and irregular forms. Hover or tap a rule to reveal twelve examples.
How to Use the Cognate Library
What is a cognate?Cognates share a common origin, similar spelling, and similar meaning in English and French.Why they matterEnglish already gives you access to thousands of French words, especially academic and international vocabulary.How to studyLearn one pattern, predict French forms, then confirm pronunciation, gender, and exceptions.Priority levelsStart with Level 1 before moving to less frequent patterns.
Cognate Strategy
📘 What You’ll LearnRecognize word families without memorizing every related word separately.📊 Quick ReferenceCompare the source pattern, target pattern, and confidence level.💡 Why It WorksRelated words share roots, but a pattern supports recognition; it does not guarantee meaning.⚠️ Check ChangesWatch for spelling shifts, irregular family members, and false cognates.🎧 Listen & PracticeAlways confirm pronunciation in the language you are learning.
Confidence: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ almost always works · ⭐⭐⭐⭐ usually works · ⭐⭐⭐ use with care · ⭐⭐ limited pattern · ⭐ learn individually.
⭐ Remember: a cognate pattern is a recognition tool, not a promise. Learn exceptions explicitly.
A pattern, not a promise: cognate rules are powerful recognition tools, but false cognates and irregular spellings must be learned explicitly.