The invisible mistakes English speakers make (and why apps never teach them)
🌱 You’re polite.
You choose your words carefully.
Your grammar is correct.
And yet… something feels off.
Native speakers seem distant.
Your emails feel cold.
Your answers sound stiff in exams or interviews.
The problem isn’t your level.
It’s cultural perception.
Some French sentences are grammatically correct and even “polite” on paper —
but sound rude, cold, arrogant, or socially awkward in real life.
These are the mistakes no app can detect.
And they matter more than you think.
1️⃣ “I want…” → Je veux… (correct, but brutal)
❌ Je veux un rendez-vous.
❌ Je veux que vous m’aidiez.
In French, “je veux” is very direct and can sound authoritarian.
✔️ Better options:
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I would like… → J’aimerais…
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I would like to… → Je souhaiterais…
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Could I…? → Est-ce que je pourrais…
💡 Typical English-speaker mistake: translating I want word for word.
2️⃣ “Merci de + verb” (often perceived as an order)
❌ Merci de m’envoyer le document.
Correct grammatically —
but in professional contexts, it can sound like a polite command.
✔️ More natural alternatives:
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Pourriez-vous m’envoyer le document, s’il vous plaît ?
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Merci beaucoup par avance pour l’envoi.
3️⃣ “I agree.” → Je suis d’accord. (too dry on its own)
❌ Je suis d’accord.
Alone, this can sound cold or abrupt.
✔️ Better phrasing:
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Yes, I completely agree with you. → Oui, je suis tout à fait d’accord avec vous.
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I share your point of view. → Je partage votre point de vue.
💡 In exams, structure and nuance are evaluated — not just correctness.
4️⃣ “As I said…” → Comme je l’ai dit… (often arrogant)
❌ Comme je l’ai dit précédemment…
This can sound condescending.
✔️ Softer alternatives:
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To come back to this point… → Pour revenir à ce point…
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As we discussed… → Comme nous l’avons évoqué…
5️⃣ “Normally…” → Normalement (misused)
❌ Normalement, j’ai terminé.
In French, normalement implies doubt or exception.
✔️ If it’s done, say:
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I’ve finished. → J’ai terminé.
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It’s done. → C’est fait.
6️⃣ “No problem.” → Pas de problème (not always positive)
❌ Pas de problème.
In professional French, this can sound casual or dismissive.
✔️ Prefer:
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Of course. → Bien sûr.
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With pleasure. → Avec plaisir.
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I’ll take care of it. → Je m’en occupe.
7️⃣ “You’re wrong.” → Vous avez tort (too direct)
Grammatically correct — socially risky.
✔️ Diplomatic alternatives:
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I understand your point of view, but…
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We could also consider another approach…
French communication values soft disagreement.
🧠 Why these mistakes happen
Because:
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you translate intentions, not usage
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you apply English politeness rules to a hierarchical language
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no one explained the unspoken social codes
👉 Exams, interviews, and professional settings judge these codes silently.
💎 What real fluent speakers do differently
They don’t just speak correctly.
They speak appropriately.
They adapt:
✔️ tone
✔️ formality
✔️ context
✔️ intention
This is what separates textbook French from credible, natural French.
And this is exactly what I work on with my students.
🧠 Mini Exercise
Rephrase these sentences in natural French:
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I want to talk to you.
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Thank you for taking care of this.
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I agree.
👉 (Multiple correct answers — discussed in class or private sessions.)
🔗
🎯 Want to avoid these invisible mistakes and speak French that sounds confident, natural, and professional?
👉 Book your discovery call. Here
👉 Or choose targeted coaching (exams, professional French, fine correction)
Because real fluency is not about rules.
It’s about the details others don’t see.
