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Translation services are great for a lot of people who are only fluent in one language. There are also moments when you are bilingual, but you need to deal with clients who speak a different language. In order to come across as professional, you need to communicate in the client’s language. This is especially important if you are aware that the client cannot understand your language. With that being said, there are a lot of mistakes made by translators.

There are also the attempts we make to do the translation ourselves. If you know a bit of another language, you might be brave enough to try it yourself. You have to be careful of some common mistakes made when translating to French. Even some French translation services make these mistakes.

  1. Connard

This word is often confused for another French word that almost sound exactly like it. The word “canard” is what someone might want to say when referring to a duck. Instead, the word “connard” is used, which means jerk. This is one of those confusing words that might make you want to disappear. Just because it is pronounced the same, the meaning is very different. Watch out for this one.

2. Putain

French is a complicated language and it can be difficult to know when to use certain words. You cannot simply do a direct French to English translation and get away with it. Take this word for example. If you were to simply use the word “putain” it would simply mean that you are tired. Do not use this word to describe anyone else though. You would be calling someone a prostitute. It’s not cute at all.

3. Baiser

This is another one that will leave you with a red face if done incorrectly. A lot of people use this word to refer to “kiss”. You might be saying something a little more provocatively. Although “un baiser” certainly means what you are trying to communicate, the opposite is true for “baiser”. This word actually refers to sexual matter far more than a kiss. Let’s just say, don’t use this word when communicating with a random stranger.

4. Beau cul

“Beaucoup” almost sounds like the word in discussion. If you are not a native French speaking individual, you can easily mess this one up. When using the word “beaucoup”, you simply are saying “very”. That’s a nice word to learn. If you happen to mix the two up and use “Beau cul”, you are referring to someone’s behind. This might be a good time to start looking into translation services online.

5. Preservatif

This word sounds easy enough to translate to English because it sounds like the word “preservative”. The only problem is that it does not directly translate. You want to keep this word out of your conversation with the waiter at a French restaurant. It actually means condom. I will let you think about that for a while. It’s rather embarrassing if you ask me.

6. Tu es bonne

When you are a French newbie, this word can be used as a form of congratulations. Even if this really means a congratulations for being good in bed. It is not appropriate to just blurt this out. You might want to find another sentence to communicate when you are trying to say. No one needs to look a friend in the eye after saying that.

Conclusion

Sure, French is a complicated language to learn, but it can be an exciting new venture. Just stay away from the commonly made mistakes and you should be good. Stick to what you know is correct. Also, some translation dictionaries are not always a good idea. You need to understand if the moment is right for what you are trying to say. It’s always better to be safe when attempting another language.