Some words barely change as you cross from French into German. Family is famille and familie, idea is idée and idee, machine is machine and maschine — same English meaning, shared roots, just a letter or two apart. This page lines up such pairs side by side so you can see the pattern for yourself: small, repeating shifts in spelling and endings rather than random coincidence.
If you already know one of these languages, that overlap is a shortcut: instead of memorizing each word from scratch, you are often learning a predictable adjustment to a word you already have. Vocab Voyage turns the list into flashcards with spaced repetition — you see an English prompt and type the French word, so the pairs below become active recall.
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| # | English | French | German |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | family | famille | familie |
| 2 | dad | papa | papa |
| 3 | mom | maman | mama |
| 4 | party | parti | partei |
| 5 | lady | dame | dame |
| 6 | bag | sac | sack |
| 7 | list | liste | liste |
| 8 | army | armée | armee |
| 9 | interesting | intéressant | interessant |
| 10 | beer | bière | bier |
| 11 | idea | idée | idee |
| 12 | blue | bleu | blau |
| 13 | role | rôle | rolle |
| 14 | paper | papier | papier |
| 15 | exact | exact | exakt |
| 16 | aunt | tante | tante |
| 17 | soldier | soldat | soldat |
| 18 | toilet | toilette | toilette |
| 19 | machine | machine | maschine |
| 20 | lieutenant | lieutenant | leutnant |
| 21 | bomb | bombe | bombe |
| 22 | excellent | excellent | exzellent |
| 23 | company | compagnie | Kompanie |
| 24 | project | projet | projekt |
| 25 | officer | officier | offizier |
| 26 | sea | mer | meer |
| 27 | enormous | énorme | enorm |
| 28 | break | pause | pause |
| 29 | level | niveau | niveau |
| 30 | class | classe | klasse |
| 31 | university | université | universität |
| 32 | series | série | serie |
| 33 | magic | magie | magie |
| 34 | demon | démon | dämon |
| 35 | to stop | stopper | stoppen |
| 36 | identity | identité | identität |
| 37 | theory | théorie | theorie |
| 38 | vampire | vampire | vampir |
| 39 | crisis | crise | krise |
| 40 | absolute | absolue | absolut |
| 41 | floor | étage | etage |
| 42 | universe | univers | universum |
| 43 | difference | différence | differenz |
| 44 | pistol | pistolet | pistole |
| 45 | flat | plat | platt |
| 46 | product | produit | produkt |
| 47 | president | président | präsident |
| 48 | season | saison | saison |
| 49 | to film | filmer | filmen |
| 50 | fashion | mode | mode |
| 51 | paradise | paradis | paradies |
| 52 | rule | règle | regel |
| 53 | brilliant | brillant | brillant |
| 54 | negative | négatif | negativ |
| 55 | control | contrôle | kontrolle |
| 56 | sandwich | sandwich | sandwich |
| 57 | sexual | sexuel | sexuell |
| 58 | novel | roman | roman |
| 59 | positive | positif | positiv |
| 60 | method | méthode | methode |
| 61 | reaction | réaction | reaktion |
| 62 | official | officiel | offiziell |
| 63 | scene | scène | szene |
| 64 | emotions | émotion | emotionen |
| 65 | mandate | mandat | mandat |
| 66 | address | adresse | adresse |
| 67 | model | modèle | modell |
| 68 | legend | légende | legende |
| 69 | balloon | ballon | ballon |
| 70 | technology | technologie | technologie |
| 71 | spy | espion | spion |
| 72 | camera | caméra | kamera |
| 73 | organization | organisation | organisation |
| 74 | governor | gouverneur | gouverneur |
| 75 | assistant | assistante | assistent |
| 76 | cassette | cassette | kassette |
| 77 | therapy | thérapie | therapie |
| 78 | program | programme | programm |
| 79 | energy | énergie | energie |
| 80 | profile | profil | profil |
| 81 | battery | batterie | batterie |
| 82 | actor | acteur | akteur |
| 83 | cabin | cabine | kabine |
| 84 | protocol | protocole | protokoll |
| 85 | compliment | compliment | kompliment |
| 86 | t-shirt | t-shirt | T-Shirt |
| 87 | perfume | parfum | parfum |
| 88 | instinct | instinct | instinkt |
| 89 | procedure | procédure | prozedur |
| 90 | coma | coma | koma |
| 91 | june | juin | juni |
| 92 | text message | sms | sms |
| 93 | tragedy | tragédie | tragödie |
| 94 | motel | motel | motel |
| 95 | extreme | extrême | extrem |
| 96 | internal | interne | intern |
| 97 | frequency | fréquence | frequenz |
| 98 | priority | priorité | priorität |
| 99 | autopsy | autopsie | autopsie |
| 100 | |||
| 101 | portrait | portrait | porträt |
| 102 | popular | populaire | populär |
| 103 | vodka | vodka | wodka |
| 104 | mass | masse | masse |
| 105 | industry | industrie | industrie |
| 106 | anonymous | anonyme | anonym |
| 107 | siren | sirène | sirene |
| 108 | engineer | ingénieur | ingenieur |
| 109 | potential | potentiel | potenziell |
| 110 | galaxy | galaxie | galaxie |
| 111 | banana | banane | banane |
| 112 | civilization | civilisation | zivilisation |
| 113 | ranch | ranch | Ranch |
| 114 | opera | opéra | oper |
| 115 | immunity | immunité | immunität |
| 116 | billion | milliard | milliarde |
| 117 | ideas | idées | ideen |
| 118 | warranty | garantie | garantie |
| 119 | medal | médaille | medaille |
| 120 | compromise | compromis | kompromiss |
| 121 | research | recherche | recherche |
| 122 | gallery | galerie | galerie |
| 123 | drug | drogue | droge |
| 124 | expert | experte | experte |
| 125 | presentation | présentation | präsentation |
| 126 | brown | brun | braun |
| 127 | academy | académie | akademie |
| 128 | antenna | antenne | antenne |
| 129 | flame | flamme | flamme |
| 130 | discipline | discipline | disziplin |
| 131 | quarantine | quarantaine | quarantäne |
| 132 | institute | institut | institut |
| 133 | poetry | poésie | poesie |
| 134 | plague | peste | pest |
| 135 | intimacy | intimité | intimität |
| 136 | correspondent | correspondant | korrespondent |
| 137 | democracy | démocratie | demokratie |
| 138 | tobacco | tabac | tabak |
| 139 | telegram | télégramme | telegramm |
| 140 | privilege | privilège | privileg |
| 141 | visual | visuel | visuell |
| 142 | melody | mélodie | melodie |
| 143 | aggressive | agressif | aggressiv |
| 144 | senate | sénat | senat |
| 145 | philosophy | philosophie | philosophie |
| 146 | fan | ventilateur | ventilator |
| 147 | dinosaur | dinosaure | dinosaurier |
| 148 | intact | intact | intakt |
| 149 | lemonade | limonade | limonade |
| 150 | original | originale | originell |
| 151 | balcony | balcon | balkon |
| 152 | parasite | parasite | parasit |
| 153 | colony | colonie | kolonie |
| 154 | anomaly | anomalie | anomalie |
| 155 | terrorism | terrorisme | terrorismus |
| 156 | emotional | émotionnel | emotionale |
| 157 | category | catégorie | kategorie |
| 158 | chemistry | chimie | chemie |
| 159 | psychiatrist | psychiatre | psychiater |
| 160 | puppet | marionnette | marionette |
| 161 | irony | ironie | ironie |
| 162 | dynamite | dynamite | Dynamit |
| 163 | organism | organisme | organismus |
| 164 | cooperation | coopération | kooperation |
| 165 | literature | littérature | literatur |
| 166 | urine | urine | urin |
| 167 | therapist | thérapeute | therapeut |
| 168 | tablet | tablette | tablette |
| 169 | nun | nonne | nonne |
| 170 | phenomenon | phénomène | phänomen |
| 171 | tequila | tequila | Tequila |
| 172 | traditional | traditionnel | traditionell |
| 173 | ballet | ballet | ballett |
| 174 | integrity | intégrité | integrität |
| 175 | probe | sonde | sonde |
| 176 | ruby | rubis | rubin |
| 177 | hare | hare | hase |
| 178 | apocalypse | apocalypse | apokalypse |
| 179 | architect | architecte | architekt |
| 180 | marijuana | marijuana | marihuana |
| 181 | transaction | transaction | transaktion |
| 182 | epidemic | épidémie | epidemie |
| 183 | arrogance | arrogance | arroganz |
| 184 | jeep | jeep | jeep |
| 185 | terrace | terrasse | terrasse |
| 186 | psychologist | psychologue | psychologe |
| 187 | convoy | convoi | konvoi |
| 188 | barracks | caserne | kaserne |
| 189 | ramp | rampe | rampe |
| 190 | yacht | yacht | jacht |
| 191 | harmony | harmonie | harmonie |
| 192 | sensitivity | sensibilité | sensibilität |
| 193 | asia | asie | asien |
| 194 | fiction | fiction | fiktion |
| 195 | parliament | parlement | parlament |
| 196 | subtle | subtil | subtil |
| 197 | precision | précision | präzision |
| 198 | espionage | espionnage | spionage |
| 199 | artillery | artillerie | artillerie |
| 200 | experimental | expérimental | experimentell |
| 201 | sympathy | sympathie | sympathie |
| 202 | pole | pôle | pol |
| 203 | extremity | extrémité | extremität |
| 204 | romance | romance | romanze |
| 205 | maximum | maximale | maximal |
| 206 | homosexual | homosexuel | homosexuell |
| 207 | cobra | cobra | kobra |
| 208 | legendary | légendaire | legendär |
| 209 | meteorite | météorite | meteorit |
| 210 | boarding school | internat | internat |
| 211 | consulate | consulat | konsulat |
| 212 | intensive | intensif | intensiv |
| 213 | sensitive | sensibles | sensibel |
| 214 | editor | rédacteur | redakteur |
| 215 | hypnosis | hypnose | hypnose |
| 216 | platform | plateforme | plattform |
| 217 | trumpet | trompette | trompete |
| 218 | jasmine | jasmine | jasmin |
| 219 | billionaire | milliardaire | milliardär |
| 220 | universal | universel | universell |
| 221 | diarrhea | diarrhée | diarrhoea |
| 222 | lasagna | lasagne | lasagne |
| 223 | scorpion | scorpion | skorpion |
| 224 | tolerance | tolérance | toleranz |
| 225 | stability | stabilité | stabilität |
| 226 | virtual | virtuel | virtuell |
| 227 | fiasco | fiasco | fiasko |
| 228 | speculation | spéculation | spekulation |
| 229 | telescope | télescope | teleskop |
| 230 | cathedral | cathédrale | kathedrale |
| 231 | brochure | brochure | broschüre |
| 232 | industrial | industriel | industriell |
| 233 | solidarity | solidarité | solidarität |
| 234 | lantern | lanterne | laterne |
| 235 | anatomy | anatomie | anatomie |
| 236 | artifact | artefact | artefakt |
| 237 | humanitarian | humanitaire | humanitär |
| 238 | brutality | brutalité | brutalität |
| 239 | external | externe | extern |
| 240 | defensive | défensive | defensiv |
| 241 | pianist | pianiste | pianistin |
| 242 | diplomacy | diplomatie | diplomatie |
| 243 | optimism | optimisme | optimismus |
| 244 | ballad | ballade | ballade |
| 245 | relative | relatif | relativ |
| 246 | gallant | galant | galant |
| 247 | anarchy | anarchie | anarchie |
| 248 | tourism | tourisme | tourismus |
| 249 | intensity | intensité | intensität |
| 250 | authoritarian | autoritaire | autoritär |
French developed from Latin, while German is a Germanic language that borrowed heavily from Latin and French over the centuries, especially for military, administrative and abstract vocabulary. That borrowing is why pairs like soldat and soldat, projet and projekt, or compagnie and Kompanie line up so closely.
No. Matching spelling does not mean matching sound: German spelling maps onto pronunciation fairly consistently, while French has many silent letters. The word papier is written the same way in both languages but sounds noticeably different.
The pairs here all share the same English meaning, so they make reliable anchors, but that reliability does not extend to every similar-looking word you meet elsewhere. Treat close spelling as a useful clue rather than a guarantee, and confirm the meaning of each new lookalike.
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