I love the French and English languages. They are an endless source of pleasure.
[Disclaimer: all these definitions and opinions are my own and cannot be
considered authoritative. I realize that you can eventually explain any notion in any language--but not equally easily.]
French words with no
real English equivalent
les acquis sociaux [means "the things that we have fought for: the 35-hour week, etc." ]
attentat The French have a word for any kind of terrorist attack
cadre [someone who is not an ordinary employee, part of the elite; but it's fuzzy]
chômer, chômeur [to be unemployed, an
unemployed person: but in French, it's somehow active]
dépaysement [the sensation of being in another country]
déroulement [unfolding,
how things happen]
doux [means so many things at once: sweet, tender, soft, gentle]
douleur [means so many things at once: pain, sorrow, grief, sadness, ache, heartache]
encadrer [to be
surrounded and taken care of]
la fête, fêter [we need a word like this in English. "Party" or "feast" are not the same.]
incontournable [something you can’t escape from or get around; not quite the same as inevitable]
le patronat [the
class of bosses, as if they're separate from normal people; I find this concept very French]
le regard It's not exactly a glance, it's a look, the expression on your face as you look; mainly going toward the looker, while English look is mostly from the looker.
retrouvailles [meeting
again after a long time, the happiness]
That sinister word social
sortable [adjective for someone
you can take places without being embarrassed]
spectacle [a show
of any kind]
surenchère [one-upmanship,
upping the ante, increasing your bid]
English words with no true French equivalent
block [as in "Go two blocks"-- the French word is pâté de maisons, but the French never use it. Instead they say "two streets." In fact I don't know how they talk about a city without ever mentioning blocks!]
float [as in a parade] In French you call it a char, but as far as I'm concerned, that has way too many other meanings and calls up the wrong image.
friend [Of course, the French have friends too. But a French ami/amie always has to have a sex, whereas we find it's often so convenient not to have to say.]
gentleman [in French, seems to be more of a fashion statement than a personal quality.]
kick [you have to say: "donner un coup de pied" which I find a bit long for a quick kick]
kind [the French have to say “gentille” or “généreux”; the nuance of this being a deep character trait is missing]
mind [all senses, from "I don't mind" to "have in mind" to "a beautiful mind"]
miss [as in "missing someone"; you have to say "Tu me manques" which means "You are lacking to me."]
remember [you have to say je me souviens or je me rappelle, "I recall to myself"-- seems very long for such a basic action]
ride [as in an amusement park; you have to say "attraction" but that can mean a stationary one]
neighborly Hahahahah
rude ["mal poli" does not translate the American sense: aggressively, deliberately impolite.]
tailgating [as in a car. This is curious because
almost all French drivers tailgate. Maybe it's like our not noticing
gravity until Isaac Newton pointed it out.]
thorough [you have to say profond or à fond]
wonder [in French you have to say, "I ask myself" to translate "I wonder," but it's not the same thing]
wrong [you have to say "faux" or "mauvais" as in "the bad direction" instead of "the wrong way"; a nuance of wrongness is missing]
French expressions I
find strange
je n’y suis pour rien
[literally "I am not there for nothing": "it’s not my fault"]
passer un savon à
quelqu’un [literally "pass a soap to someone": scold someone]
tirer les vers du nez [literally "pull the worms out of the nose": used as in English, "getting him to talk was like pulling teeth"; people actually say this]
French words I like/think
sound funny
coup de barre
galipette
gueule
polisson
racaille, pagaille, canaille, gouaille, grisaille; chatouille, rouille, bouille
zozoter [the French have a word for lisp even though en principe they don't have a "th" sound!]
tentative d’attentat [attempted terrorist attack; say it out loud!]
trois
Vive le roi! [Try to say “roi ” and see if it sounds like a king!]
Common French expressions whose equivalent you don't hear much in English
en principe ["in theory"; actually means "but in reality, probably not"]
mais puisque je vous le dis ["but because I'm saying it to you"-- someone who often seems untrustworthy says this when you doubt what they are saying. ]
faut pas vous énerver! ["(you) must not get annoyed!" Always said by annoying people when you object to their cutting in line/queue-barging]
Common English words and expressions whose equivalent you don't hear much in French
Sorry, but I didn't make the rules!
I don't buy that!
wasting time
Wormland: big chain. Really. 
Binsack: Frankfurt jeweler
Salle de fartage [wax room]
All directions!
A real town in Austria. The sign below says "Please- not so fast!"
The Wank is a "beloved travel goal" in the Alps. You get there on the Wankbahn.
Anus, France