Have you noticed that some English words don’t quite sound English?

Have you noticed some English words with accents?

That’s because we stole some French words and made them English words! (We also changed the pronunciation and definitions a bit, too!)

Those of you who have studied history will know that the English language is a mixture of Germanic languages and the French spoken by the Normans (from western France) who conquered England in 1066. However, the words I use in my video are recent additions to English!

(See below for the definitions of these words.)

Here are the 30 words that I say:

ballet – a classical style of dance

bouquet – a group of flowers put together either to display or to carry

boutique – a small store that sells fashionable (and sometimes expensive) clothes and accessories

café – a small, simple restaurant or coffeeshop

chef – a professional cook (who usually works in a restaurant)

coup / coup d’etat – an overthrow (removal) of a government (usually by the military); a seizure of power

coup (another definition) – an achievement that is unexpected and impressive

debacle – a messy defeat or failure

debut – the first appearance or performance of something (a play, a song, a product, etc.), usually in public

décor – the appearance of a room or indoor space; the colour of the walls, the window coverings, the furniture, etc.; the way the room is decorated

déjà vu – already seen; the strange feeling that you have already experienced something that is happening now

encore – an audience calls ‘encore’ at the end of a performance (a concert, a play, etc.) when they want the performance to continue

en masse – all together, as a group, at the same time

en route – on the way (to somewhere)

entrée – the main course/dish of a meal

entrepreneur – a person who starts their own business

façade – the front of a building

faux pas – an embarrassing mistake, especially socially or in fashion

fiancé(e) – the person you are engaged to / committed to marry; fiancé – male, fiancée – female

genre – a particular style or type of art, movie, book, etc.,

hors d’œuvres – appetizers; small bits of food before a meal or at a party

liaison – a person or organization that helps other people or organizations work together effectively and helps them communicate

matinée – the afternoon performance of a play, or showing of a movie

menu – a list of things you can choose from, for example dishes at a restaurant, choices on a computer

naïve – innocent, simple, too ready to believe someone or something because of a lack of knowledge or experience

petite – used to describe a small, slender woman

potpourri – a nice smelling mixture of dried petals, leaves, and spices; used to make a room or other place smell nice

protégé – a younger person who is taught, helped, by someone older, more knowledgeable, and more experienced

restaurant – a place of business where you can buy and eat a meal

resumé – a written summary of your education, work experience, and achievements; also known as a ‘curriculum vitae’ (CV)

sauté – a method of cooking; to fry food in a small amount of fat (usually oil)