Another Monday, another French blog. This week, we’ve chosen to explore the word effet in detail.
We know that it looks very much like a common English word, but check the spelling – it doesn’t quite sound the same. Have a listen to this audio clip for the French pronunciation:
While effet is one letter away from ‘effect’, you should always be wary of trying to translate words directly as such. In this case, the word effet has many different possible translations and uses – one of which is indeed ‘effect’. But it could also mean ‘result’, ‘impact’, ‘feeling’, ‘impression’, ’consequence’ and more!
It’s a masculine noun, which you can work out if you see a word alongside articles like un or le. Generally, this noun is very versatile and widely used, making it an ideal candidate for our word of the week. Shall we look at some examples?
We’ll start with common phrases and structures which use the word:
à cet effet to this end; for this purpose/result
sous l’effet de quelque chose under the effect of something
c’est l’effet de quelque chose it’s a result of something
C’est l’effet du hasard. It’s fate.
en effet indeed; quite right
« Ils nous ont dit que c’est dangereux d’y aller. » « Bah oui, en effet ! » “They told us that it’s dangerous to go there.” “Well yes, it is indeed!”
prendre effet to take effect
avoir/faire de l’effet to have an effect; to be effective
Nous avons peur que cela n’ait pas de l’effet. We’re scared that this will have no effect.
Son discours m’a fait beaucoup d’effet. His speech really left an impression on me. / His speech had a real effect on me.
For the second part of our examples, the options are somewhat unlimited. Among the words you might see alongside ‘effect’ include the following terms:
effet de lumière lighting effect
effets spéciaux special effects (such as in film and cinema)
effets de voix vocal effects; voice effects
effet de serre greenhouse effect
effet de groupe group/herd mentality
effet secondaire side effect
effet contraire opposite effect
effets de l’alcool effects of alcohol
effets personnels personal belongings (in this sense, effet is always plural)
licenciement (m) avec effet immédiat dismissal/firing with immediate effect
Thank you for reading this week’s blog. We hope that you’re already starting to see a positive effect on your French vocabulary skills. But if you want to keep improving, we’ll see you here again next week.
