Interesting phrases

The name of the book made me curious, 'More France please, we're British'. Its written by a woman named Helena Frith Powell, Brit who migrated to France with husband and one kid. The family is now a five-some and she is sharing some of the learnings culled during her stay. Here's some of the stuff from her book that I would have liked to get at the start of my stay. Similar words in the two languages meaning different things:
Actuellement - In french, this is current or presently - Je travaille actuellement - I am currently working. The english actually meaning in fact would be 'en fait', 'en realite', 'a vrai dire'. Actual which means real or true would be reel, veritable, positif or concret.
Affaire - Business, matter, deal, trnsaction or scandal. It is similar to the english affair only in the sense of event or concern. A love affair is une affaire d'amour, une aventure amoureuse.
Une affluence - a crowd of people. The english meaning lot or profusion is eg. affluent society - l'ere de l'opulence or une abondance.
Agonie - Death pangs or mortal agony. The english agony or sevre pain is angoisse, supplice.
Arroser - Water, spray. The english arose is survenir, se presenter, s'elever.
Assiter a - To attend to eg. j'ai assite a la conference. Assist as we know it is aider.
Avertissement - Warning or caution (avertir). Advertisement is une publicite, un spot publicitaire, une reclame.
Blesser - Wound, injure or offend. Bless is benir with an acute on the e.
Bras - Arm. The other is soutien gorge (Yikes!)
Une bride - is a bridle not une mariee (the groom's bride)
Candide - Naive or ingenuous. The other is franc, sincere.
Car - Because not voiture.
Caractere - The caracter or temperament of a person or thing. This distinction is little subtle eg. Donald Duck is a famous character is personnage celebre.
Caution - This is more afinancial term meaning guarantee, security, bail or backing. The other is prudence, circonspection, avertissement.
Celibataire - A noun meaning Bachelor/ unmarried (note the difference with the english usage). Celibate is the adjective form.
Chaine - A chain, production line, mountian range, TV channel, stereo. A noun and a verb - enchainer
Chance - Luck. The other is un hasard, une possibilite, une occasion
Facon - The way or the manner;fashion is mode or vogue
Facteur - Factor/ postman/ maillman/ maker. Factor can also be un element, un indice.
Figure - Face/ Illustrated mathematical or illustrated figure; The other is chiffre as in numbers and for a person it is forme, silhouette
Napkin - Serviette de table. Just serviette is a towel
Parcelle - Bit/ fragment, parcel of land. Parcel is colis or paquet
Particulier - Equivalent to the english particular, specific, characteristic, distinctive, special or private
Pays - Country; he pays me cash would be il me paie en liquide (payer)
Personne - As pronoun can be anyone; elle le connait mieux que personne
Phrase - Sentence; the english is une expression or locution
Piece - The same as english only for broken pieces else its room, sheet of paper, coin or play. The english version is une tranche, un morceau
Prejudice - Loss, harm, damage; english meaning is prejuge or prevention. I'm missing out on the words because of lack of acutes and graves but one can get a rough idea....
Saler - to salt; Sale is vente or solde
Secret - Can also be used to refer to a person who is reserved or reticent
Sensible - Used for sensitive and even nervous people; pas recommande aux sensibles; the other is sense, raisonnable, sage
Souvenir - Besides un souvenir, its also to remember
Spectacle - Any sort of exhibition; un spectacle de danse; le spectacle de la rue (bustle on the street); even tu t'es donne en spectacle - you made a spectacle of yourself
Supporter - Support/ hold up/ endure/ put up; commonly used soutenir...

I have to continue with the rest of the interesting bits from the book, tired though I am, because all books have to go back to the library now - end of year approaching.....

Some wine terms: Bouchonne - The off taste in wines because of an imperfect cork. It produces a strange woody, mouldy smell and taste and prhaps even oxidation of wine.
The other was 'negociant' - no details required here.

This was good - typical phrases you would hear from french workmen. I wont write the spin she put on each but suffice to say they were very interesting, someone who has learnt the hard way:
Je ferai le maximum - I'll do my best
Ce n'est pas normal - This is most unusual
Je vais vou envoyer un devis - I'll send you a quote
Je vais passer en debut d'apres-midi - I'll be there early afternoon
Je vais passer dans la semaine - I'll be there this week
Je vais reflechir - I'll think about it. Just for this one, her interpretation - I'll think about it for the next ten years, by which time I shall be retired

Je ferai le maximum