Le gouvernement fédéral, réuni en comité restreint, a trouvé dans la nuit de mardi un accord sur la position de la Belgique à l’égard du conflit israélo-palestinien et la situation dans la Bande de Gaza, a annoncé le ministre des Affaires étrangères, Maxime Prévot, dans un communiqué à l’issue d’une réunion en cabinet restreint. Il porte sur des sanctions à l’égard d’Israël et le processus de reconnaissance d’un Etat palestinien.

False friends 1: sensible / sensible

🇬🇧 sensible ↔ 🇨🇵 raisonnable

🇨🇵 sensible ↔ 🇬🇧 sensitive

The English word sensible is raisonnable in French, while the French word sensible means sensitive in English.

A sensible person in English is reasonable, i.e. raisonnable. In French, if a person is described as being sensible, it means this person is sensitive.

False friends 2: actually / actuellement

🇬🇧 actually ↔ 🇨🇵 en fait

🇨🇵 actuellement ↔ 🇬🇧 currently, at the moment

These false friends are probably the source of one of the most common mistakes I hear in my classes. Make sure you don’t mix the meanings up: to say actually use the phrase en fait in French. The French word actuellement means at present, currently in English.

False friends 3: carnation / carnation

🇬🇧 carnation ↔ 🇨🇵 œillet

🇨🇵 carnation ↔ 🇬🇧 complexion

A carnation in English is the word for the flower called œillet in French. In French, the word carnation describes the flesh tone, so the English word for that is complexion. See how easy it would be to mistranslate a sentence such as Il avait une carnation blanche and think it means He had a white carnation whilst it actually means Il avait un œillet blanc.

False friends 4: to deliver / délivrer

🇬🇧 to deliver ↔ 🇨🇵 livrer, distribuer, sauver

🇨🇵 délivrer ↔ 🇬🇧 set free, relieve

To deliver is the English verb to say livrer or distribuer in French, but also to say sauver, while délivrer means to set free, to relieve.

In English, you deliver a parcel for example; in French you can délivrer hostages.

False friends 5: to rest / rester

🇬🇧 to rest ↔ 🇨🇵 se reposer

🇨🇵 rester ↔ 🇬🇧 to stay

To rest is the English for se reposer. The French verb rester means to stay.

Of course, if you stay (rester) at home, you can rest (se reposer).

False friends 6: accommodate / accommoder

🇬🇧 to accommodate ↔ 🇨🇵 loger

🇨🇵 accommoder ↔ 🇬🇧 to prepare, to adapt

The English verb to accommodate is the equivalent of the French loger, héberger ; accommoder means to prepare (when talking about cooking) or to adapt and make suitable.

A room can accommodate 2 guests. In French, you accommode a dish, but you can also accommoder a room to say that you prepare the room so as to make it suitable for your guests (and there you can see the connection between the two).

False friends 7: chance / chance

🇬🇧 chance ↔ 🇨🇵 hasard

🇨🇵 chance ↔ 🇬🇧 luck

Chance is often confusing. The English word chance means hasard in French, but the French word chance means luck. Avoir de la chance is to be lucky. Something that happens by chance happens par hasard in French

False friends 8: injure / injure

🇬🇧 to injure ↔ 🇨🇵 blesser

🇨🇵 une injure ↔ 🇬🇧 an insult, an offense

The English verb to injure means blesser in French, but injure is a French noun that means insult in English.

In English, you can get injured in an accident but in French, if somebody offends you, you can say that was because of une injure. Clearly, both can hurt though.

False friends 9: cave / cave

🇬🇧 cave ↔ 🇨🇵 grotte

🇨🇵 cave ↔ 🇬🇧 cellar

Cave in English and cave in French have that in common that you find both below ground level. However an English cave is une grotte in French while a French cave is a cellar in English.

False friend 10: library / librairie

🇬🇧 library ↔ 🇨🇵 bibliothèque

🇨🇵 librairie ↔ 🇬🇧 bookshop / bookstore

These two are very confusing for a lot of learners of French or English because both words have to do with a place where you find books. Still, a library is where you can borrow books and that is called une bibliothèque in French. Une librairie is where you can buy books, what you call a bookshop in British English and a bookstore in American English.

Le Palais des Beaux-Arts (Bozar) a entamé le démontage de l’orgue de concert de la salle Henry Le Bœuf en vue de son remplacement, a annoncé l’institution mercredi.

Un incendie avait éclaté sur le toit du Palais des Beaux-Arts le 18 janvier 2021. Les dégâts causés par le feu étaient restés limités aux salles d’exposition et à la toiture de la salle Henry Le Bœuf, mais l’eau utilisée pour éteindre les flammes s’était profondément infiltrée dans le bâtiment et avait particulièrement endommagé l’orgue. Aujourd’hui, plus de quatre ans et demi plus tard, le démontage de l’orgue peut débuter. Sa façade historique sera conservée et restaurée, avec la réintégration de certains éléments d’origine, conformément aux plans de Victor Horta. L’orgue en lui-même sera remplacé par un nouvel instrument dont la construction a été confiée à la manufacture autrichienne Rieger Orgelbau. Le nouvel orgue sera un instrument symphonique contemporain inspiré de l’école française, doté de 67 jeux répartis sur quatre claviers manuels et un pédalier. Il alliera tradition artisanale et technologies de pointe. Son coût s’élève à 2 millions d’euros. Les travaux seront répartis sur quatre étés en dehors des saisons de concert.

En attendant la livraison du nouvel orgue, prévue pour l’automne 2028, la musique d’orgue continuera de résonner à Bozar grâce à une liaison innovante par fibre optique avec la cathédrale de Bruxelles. Les organistes pourront jouer en direct sur l’orgue de la cathédrale, dont le son sera transmis en temps réel à la salle Henry Le Bœuf. Le premier concert utilisant cette technologie est prévu le 8 mars 2026.

~~Sorry about the censoring, it was like that when I found it~~

E: thank you for the proper version u/[email protected]

* Designers from across Europe invited to apply, starting 15 July 2025
* Application platform open until 18 August 2025
* Governing Council’s decision on final design expected by end of 2026 following a public survey 

The European Central Bank (ECB) today launched a public contest for the design of future euro banknotes – the next step in the euro banknote redesign process. The ECB’s Governing Council has already selected two possible themes for the future euro banknotes after consulting experts and the public. These are: “European culture”, focusing on shared cultural spaces and important Europeans; and “Rivers and birds”, focusing on the resilience and diversity of Europe’s natural ecosystems. In January the Governing Council also selected motifs to illustrate the two possible themes.

The design contest, which is open to graphic designers residing in the European Union, aims to identify the best design proposals for the future euro banknotes. The contest will proceed in two phases: an application phase and a design proposal phase. During the application phase, designers must meet the specific requirements listed in the contest notice. The applicants will be assessed on the basis of their qualifications and achievements. Selected designers will be invited to participate in the second phase and submit their design proposals. A group of independent experts – the Design Contest Jury – will evaluate the proposals and select up to five per theme.

“The euro is more than a currency – it symbolises European unity and diversity. Through this contest, we invite designers across Europe to shape the future of our banknotes to reflect our shared cultural identity and natural heritage,” said ECB President Christine Lagarde.

After the contest finishes, the public will be invited to provide feedback on the designs selected. The Governing Council is expected to decide on the final design by the end of 2026. The new banknotes will be ready to enter circulation some years after this decision and following the production process. For detailed information about the contest, please refer to the ECB’s website and the Official Journal of the European Union. Designers interested in participating are invited to submit their application by 12:00 CET on 18 August.

La Banque centrale européenne a lancé mardi un concours public de graphisme pour imaginer ses futurs billets en euros, invitant les designers de toute l’Union européenne à y participer.