Traps even natives fall into

Traps Even Native Speakers Fall Into

Even educated French speakers make systematic errors. Mastering these distinctions will place you above many natives.

Après que + Indicative (NOT Subjunctive)

One of the most widespread errors: après que takes the indicative, not the subjunctive. The logic is clear — "after" refers to a completed action (reality), unlike "avant que" (before = uncertainty).

• ✅ Après qu'il est parti... (correct: indicative)
• ❌ Après qu'il soit parti... (incorrect but extremely common)

Pallier (Direct Transitive — No "à")

Pallier takes a direct object. Writing pallier à is incorrect, though nearly universal in spoken French.

• ✅ pallier les difficultés
• ❌ pallier aux difficultés

Censé vs. Sensé

• Censé = supposed to (Il est censé venir — He is supposed to come)
• Sensé = sensible, having sense (une remarque sensée — a sensible remark)

Balade vs. Ballade

• Balade (one L) = a walk, a stroll
• Ballade (two L's) = a ballad (poetic or musical form)

Davantage vs. D'avantage

• Davantage = more (J'en veux davantage — I want more)
• D'avantage = of advantage (Il n'y a pas d'avantage à attendre — There is no advantage in waiting)

Quoique vs. Quoi que

• Quoique (one word) = although (Quoique fatigué, il continua)
• Quoi que (two words) = whatever (Quoi que vous fassiez...)

Malgré que — The Eternal Debate

Purists consider malgré que incorrect (preferring bien que). However, it has been used by major authors (Gide, Proust). At C2 level, know the debate and choose your camp.