Personne vs. personnage
The French words 'personne' and 'personnage' are often confused due to their similar spelling, but they have distinct meanings and uses in the French language.
Personne
'Personne' means 'person' or 'nobody' depending on the context. It refers to an individual human being or can be used as a negative pronoun.
Cette personne est très gentille.
(This person is very kind.)
Il n'y a personne dans la maison.
(There is nobody in the house.)
Chaque personne a le droit de voter.
(Every person has the right to vote.)
Personnage
'Personnage' means 'character' or 'figure', typically referring to a fictional person in a story, play, or historical figure.
Le personnage principal du roman est très intéressant.
(The main character of the novel is very interesting.)
Napoléon est un personnage important de l'histoire française.
(Napoleon is an important figure in French history.)
Quel est ton personnage préféré dans ce film ?
(Who is your favorite character in this movie?)
Summary
While 'personne' refers to a real individual or is used to mean 'nobody', 'personnage' typically describes a character in literature, film, or a notable figure in history. 'Personne' is used in everyday contexts about real people, while 'personnage' is more commonly used in narrative or historical contexts.