Making Mistakes in French: The Ones That Block You… and the Ones That Don’t
Let’s start with something reassuring:
Not all mistakes in French are created equal.
Some will barely make your sentence wobble.
Others will bring your conversation to a full stop—like accidentally saying the hen instead of the sweater.
Yes. Le pull vs. la poule.
One tiny sound. Two very different visuals.
If you’re an English-speaking professional learning French, one of the hardest parts isn’t grammar. It isn’t vocabulary.
It’s not knowing which mistake will make you misunderstood… and which one will simply make you human.
And that uncertainty?
That’s what feeds the fear.
Let’s untangle it.
Mistakes That Still Allow Communication
These are the “not perfect, but understood” mistakes.
Slight mispronunciations
Verb tense inconsistencies that still make logical sense
Using the wrong preposition
Hesitating mid-sentence
Gender errors that don’t create ambiguity
For example:
Je suis allé au magasin hier et j’achète du pain.
Not technically correct tense consistency.
Still completely understandable.
Your listener notices—but they don’t struggle.
Communication survives.
And communication is the goal.
Mistakes That Impede Understanding
These are different.
They create confusion:
A wrong word that sounds like another word
A gender mistake that changes meaning
Dropped sounds that alter clarity
English-based assumptions imposed on French structure
For example:
Je porte la poule.
Are you… carrying a hen?
If you meant le pull (the sweater), you can see how one vowel changes everything.
This is usually the moment you notice that flicker of incomprehension cross your interlocuteur’s face.
And suddenly, you feel silly.
But here’s the deeper issue:
As an English speaker, you often don’t know which category your mistake falls into.
And that uncertainty keeps you cautious. Quiet. Overthinking.
The Two Real Culprits
When recurring mistakes slow your progress, they usually come from one of two places:
1. Lack of Knowledge (The Easy Fix)
You simply haven’t learned it yet.
Maybe no one clearly explained how gender works beyond “just memorize it.”
Maybe pronunciation was never corrected early enough.
Maybe you were never trained to hear silent letters or distinguish similar sounds.
This is fixable.
Structured French classes
Focused pronunciation training
Reading aloud regularly
Personalized correction
Knowledge gaps are curriculum issues—not personal failures.
2. Assumption (The Harder Battle)
This one is subtle.
You assume:
French works like English.
If it sounds right to you, it must be right.
Picking randomly is better than asking.
You “should already know this.”
Now it’s no longer just a language issue.
It’s habit. Ego. Self-image.
And this is harder—because now you’re not just learning French.
You’re unlearning yourself.
The Skill That Changes Everything: Curiosity
Instead of endlessly hesitating:
Is it feminine? Is it masculine? I should know this…
Try this:
Comment dit-on… ?
Un ou une fromage ?
Le ou la café ?
(And yes—those examples are intentionally wrong.)
When you ask, you signal something powerful:
You’re aware there’s a distinction.
You respect the language.
You’re not pretending.
You want precision.
That earns goodwill instantly.
And it prevents fossilized errors.
Why “Just Pick One” Is a Trap
Many learners cope by choosing randomly and hoping for the best.
Statistically, you’ll be right 50% of the time.
Neurologically? You’re reinforcing the wrong pattern half the time too.
It’s like working out with bad form.
You might build strength.
But you’re also building imbalance.
Later, correction becomes harder. More frustrating.
Curiosity corrects early.
Assumption hardwires mistakes.
Fear Slows Progress. Feedback Speeds It Up.
Here’s the paradox:
The more afraid you are of making mistakes,
the fewer risks you take.
The fewer risks you take,
the less feedback you receive.
The less feedback you receive,
the slower you improve.
Fluency isn’t built on perfection.
It’s built on informed experimentation.
The professionals who progress the fastest aren’t the ones who make the fewest mistakes.
They’re the ones who:
Notice confusion
Ask precise questions
Invite correction
Adjust quickly
They treat conversation like collaboration—not performance.
A Small Mindset Shift
Instead of asking:
“What if I make a mistake?”
Ask:
“Will this mistake block communication—or just show I’m learning?”
If it doesn’t block communication, keep speaking.
If it does? Clarify. Ask. Refine.
That’s not weakness.
That’s mastery in progress.
Now Imagine This…
Imagine having someone who can immediately tell you:
“That mistake doesn’t matter—keep going.”
“That vowel changes the meaning—let’s fix it.”
“That hesitation is about confidence, not grammar.”
“Here’s how to hear the difference.”
That’s the difference between guessing your way through French…
and building it intentionally.
In my 1-on-1 sessions, we focus on exactly this:
Identifying which mistakes truly block understanding
Correcting pronunciation early (before it fossilizes)
Clarifying gender and number patterns logically
Practicing real conversation—with real-time feedback
You don’t just learn rules.
You learn how to navigate French with clarity and confidence.
If you’re ready to stop wondering whether your mistakes are harmless or sabotaging your progress—and start speaking with precision and ease—let’s work together.
Book a personalized 1-on-1 session at unravelfrench.com and experience what focused, supportive feedback can do for your fluency.
Because French isn’t about sounding perfect.
It’s about being understood—and understanding back.
And that starts with being brave enough to say:
Comment dit-on… ?