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Have you ever noticed that some French words sound surprisingly familiar? That’s not a coincidence. French, like every living language, borrows words from other languages. This phenomenon is called linguistic borrowing (les emprunts linguistiques in French). It happens when a language adopts a word, expression, or structure from another language. These borrowed words often keep their original meaning — and sometimes even their original spelling.
Simple Examples to Get Started
Before going deeper, let’s look at some everyday examples of borrowed words in French:
- le week-end — borrowed from English, means “the weekend”
- le football — also from English, used just like in British English
- le sushi — borrowed from Japanese, widely used in everyday French
- le jogging — from English, refers to both the activity and the clothing
These words are so common in French that most native speakers don’t even think of them as “foreign” anymore.
The Key Elements of Linguistic Borrowing in French
Linguistic borrowing is not a random process. There are different types of borrowings, and understanding them will help you recognize and use them more naturally.
Direct Borrowings (Emprunts directs)
These are words taken directly from another language, often with little or no modification. French has borrowed heavily from English in recent decades, especially in technology, music, and sports.
- le selfie — from English
- le hashtag — from English
- le marketing — from English
- le jazz — from American English
Adapted Borrowings (Emprunts adaptés)
Sometimes, French adapts the spelling or pronunciation of a foreign word to fit French phonetics. The word becomes “Frenchified.”
- le bifteck — from English “beefsteak,” adapted to French spelling and pronunciation
- le redingote — from English “riding coat,” now a French fashion term
Calques (Loan Translations)
A calque is a special type of borrowing where the meaning is translated word for word, but the foreign word itself is not used. French has several calques from English:
- gratte-ciel — literal translation of “skyscraper”
- lune de miel — from “honeymoon”
- remue-méninges — from “brainstorming”
Why Linguistic Borrowing in French Matters
Understanding borrowed words helps you in many ways as a French learner. First, you already know many French words without realizing it! If you speak English, Spanish, or Japanese, you’ll recognize dozens of French terms immediately. Second, knowing where a word comes from helps you remember it better. Context and origin are powerful memory tools. Third, it shows you how French evolves and stays alive. Language is not frozen — it grows with culture, technology, and global exchanges.
Comparison with Other Languages
French is not unique in borrowing words. Let’s compare how French, English, and Spanish handle linguistic borrowing:
| Concept | French | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekend | le week-end | the weekend | el fin de semana (calque) |
| Football (soccer) | le football | football / soccer | el fútbol (adapted) |
| Selfie | le selfie | selfie | el selfie / la selfi |
| Skyscraper | gratte-ciel (calque) | skyscraper | rascacielos (calque) |
Notice how Spanish often creates calques, while French and English tend to borrow words more directly. Each language has its own “personality” when it comes to borrowing.
A Complete Example
Let’s follow the journey of one word: le camping.
- Origin: English word “camping”
- Adopted by French: directly, with the same spelling
- Meaning in French: refers to both the activity and the campsite itself (un camping = a campsite)
- Used in a sentence: On part au camping ce week-end. = “We’re going to the campsite this weekend.”
Interestingly, English uses “camping” only as an activity, while French expanded the meaning to also describe a place. This is a great example of how borrowed words can evolve once they enter a new language.
Key Takeaways
- Linguistic borrowing is when a language takes words or expressions from another language.
- French borrows words mainly from English, but also from Arabic, Italian, German, and Japanese.
- There are three main types: direct borrowings, adapted borrowings, and calques.
- As an English speaker, you already know many French words — use that to your advantage!
- Borrowed words show that language is alive, dynamic, and connected to culture.
Sources
- Rey, A. (2006). Le Robert — Dictionnaire historique de la langue française. Dictionnaires Le Robert.
- Pergnier, M. (1989). Les anglicismes : danger ou enrichissement pour la langue française ? Presses Universitaires de France.
- Walter, H. (1997). L’aventure des mots français venus d’ailleurs. Robert Laffont.
To practise what you learned in this lesson: