10 Common Spelling Mistakes in French Professional Emails

A French email with spelling errors can come across as careless or unprofessional. Even if your message is clear, spelling mistakes can create a poor impression and undermine your credibility. On the other hand, a well-written message shows that you pay attention to detail, are professional, and respect your reader.

Here are 10 common spelling mistakes in French professional emails and simple tips to avoid them.

1. The Homophones “a” and “à”

This is one of the most common mistakes in professional emails.

• “a” is the verb “avoir” (to have): “Il a rendez-vous” (He has an appointment)
• “à” is a preposition: “Il va à la réunion” (He’s going to the meeting)

2. Forgetting Accents

Accents often change a word’s meaning and are essential in professional emails.

• “Tâche” (task) vs. “tache” (stain)
• “Dû” (past participle) vs. “du” (article)
• “Sûr” (certain) vs. “sur” (on/upon)

Tip: Don’t forget accented capital letters like É or À. Omitting them can make your text look less professional.

3. Confusing “c’est,” “ces,” “ses,” and “s’est”

These homophones sound identical but have different meanings, which often leads to confusion in professional emails.

• “C’est” (it is): “C’est une bonne idée” (It’s a good idea)
• “Ces” (demonstrative adjective): “Ces documents sont importants” (These documents are important)
• “Ses” (possessive adjective): “Ses dossiers sont complets” (His/her files are complete)
• “S’est” (reflexive verb): “Il s’est trompé” (He made a mistake)

4. “Et” and “Est”

Mixing up “et” and “est” looks careless and can change your sentence’s meaning.

• “Et” connects two elements: “Pierre et Marie” (Pierre and Marie)
• “Est” comes from the verb “être” (to be): “Il est disponible” (He is available)

5. Infinitive Ending in -er vs. Past Participle Ending in -é

Many people make this mistake after the auxiliary verb “avoir.”

• “J’ai envoyer le rapport” (incorrect)
• “J’ai envoyé le rapport” (correct) — I sent the report

6. Agreement of the Past Participle

With “avoir,” the past participle agrees with the direct object if it comes before the verb.

• “Les documents que j’ai préparé sont prêts” (incorrect)
• “Les documents que j’ai préparés sont prêts” (correct) — The documents I prepared are ready

7. “Ci-joint” and Its Agreement

In emails, it’s best to keep “ci-joint” (attached) invariable. This form is always correct and simpler to use in professional messages.

• “Veuillez trouver ci-joint le document” (Please find attached the document)
• “Veuillez trouver ci-joint les documents” (Please find attached the documents)

8. “On” and “Ont”

These two words sound identical but have different functions. Mixing them up can make your email incorrect or difficult to understand.

• “On” (impersonal pronoun): “On travaille bien ensemble” (We work well together)
• “Ont” (verb “avoir” in 3rd person plural): “Ils ont terminé le projet” (They finished the project)

9. “Leur” and “Leurs”

These words are often confused in writing, which can make your email unclear or incorrect.

• “Leur” is an object pronoun: “Je leur ai parlé” (I spoke to them)
• “Leurs” is a possessive determiner: “Leurs dossiers sont complets” (Their files are complete)

Tip: If you can say “ses,” write “leurs.” This simple rule helps avoid common confusion.

10. “Depuis” and “Pendant”

These two words both indicate time, but they’re not used the same way. Confusing them can change your email’s meaning.

• “Depuis” indicates an ongoing action: “Je travaille ici depuis 2019” (I’ve been working here since 2019)
• “Pendant” indicates a completed action: “J’ai travaillé ici pendant deux ans” (I worked here for two years)

Tip: Always proofread your emails before sending them! Most mistakes come from rushing. Careful proofreading is the best way to catch careless errors. Read your message aloud—this simple technique will help you spot most grammar, syntax, or typing mistakes.

Spelling mistakes in French professional emails are easy to avoid with a little practice.

Want to improve your professional French? Join La French Zone! I offer online French courses to help you communicate better in French and integrate more easily into your workplace in France.

To learn more, check out my article “Professional French Emails: Essential Expressions.”