Latin based languages share a massive amount of common and overlapping words. RobWords offers these 3 tricks for English speakers to scuttle through the French language. I find these kinds of tips super helpful for a casual traveler. As always, these are not hard and fast and some require some lateral thinking to make the connections – but it’s good enough to really improve your muddling through the French language.

1. French words that start with an ‘É’ can often be replaced with an ‘S’. Examples:
   épice -> spice
   étranger -> stranger
   épouse -> spouse
   éponge -> sponge
   
2. Vowels with a caret ‘âêîôû’ – remove the hat and add a ‘s’
   Forêt -> Forest
   Tempête -> Tempest(e)
   Arrête -> arrest(e)
   Hôtesse -> Hostess(e)
   Hôtel -> Hostel
   Hâte -> Haste
   Pâte -> Paste
   Hôpital -> Hospital
   Maître -> Maistre
   Côte -> Co(a)st (the side/coast)
   
3. Replace the ‘GU’ that starts some words with ‘W’
   Guerre -> Wuerre -> War
   Guillaume -> Willaume (William)

Put them together and:

L’écureuil étudie guillaume le guerrier à l’école dans la forêt.

We translate as:

L’ scureuil studie willaume le werrier à l’scole dans la forest.

becomes:

The squirrel studies william the warrior at school in the forest.