To talk about personality in everyday French, we mainly use adjectives that describe the way a person is: their usual mood, their way of speaking, their relationship with others, and their reaction to situations. You can say that a person is kind, friendly, calm, shy or funny. These words are useful for a friend as well as for a colleague, a neighbor or a family member. They are often used after to be or in front of a noun: a kind person, a shy boy, a funny woman. To describe what someone is, this vocabulary works with the words from People, then it easily combines with the adjectives from Qualifying adjectives.

calmeréservésincèregénéreuxpatientgentildrôlecurieuxambitieuxtimide

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Quelqu’un qui dit la vérité et parle franchementQuelqu’un qui donne volontiers son temps, son aide ou ses chosesQuelqu’un qui parle peu et garde ses sentiments pour luiQuelqu’un qui reste tranquille et posé dans la plupart des situationsQuelqu’un qui attend sans se fâcherQuelqu’un qui a envie de savoir et de découvrir des chosesQuelqu’un qui fait rire ou qui a un bon sens de l’humourQuelqu’un de bienveillant et agréable avec les autresQuelqu’un qui a du mal à parler facilement avec les autresQuelqu’un qui veut réussir et atteindre de grands objectifs

Basic character vocabulary

Word	Definition
gentil	Someone who is bienveillant and pleasant with others.
timide	Someone who has difficulty speaking easily with others.
drôle	Someone who makes others laugh or has a good sense of humor.
ambitieux	Someone who wants to succeed and achieve big goals.
calme	Someone who remains calm and composed in most situations.
curieux	Someone who wants to know and discover things.
généreux	Someone who gives their time, help, or things willingly.
réservé	Someone who speaks little and keeps their feelings to themselves.
sincère	Someone who tells the truth and speaks frankly.
patient	Someone who waits without getting angry.

Scramble

A character is often described with very frequent qualities and faults. Kind refers to a pleasant and thoughtful person. Shy describes someone who speaks little or hesitates with others. Funny is used for a person who makes others laugh. Ambitious designates someone who wants to succeed and sets goals. Calm describes a composed person who does not get upset easily. In a conversation, you can say: My sister is very kind, My colleague is shy, He is ambitious and works a lot, She stays calm even in trouble. These adjectives are often also used in the Jobs and Professions, when talking about behavior at work or the qualities sought in a position.

drôlegentilhonnêtesérieuxambitieuxdétenduméchantorganisécalmefainéant

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Quelqu’un de paisible et facile à vivreQuelqu’un qui évite l’effortQuelqu’un qui prend les choses au sérieuxQuelqu’un qui vise des objectifs élevésQuelqu’un qui amuse facilementQuelqu’un qui ne ment pasQuelqu’un qui range et planifie bienQuelqu’un de dur ou désagréable avec les autresQuelqu’un de aimable et attentionnéQuelqu’un de relaxé et sans tension

Qualities and faults of daily life

Word	Definition
gentil	Someone who is kind and thoughtful.
méchant	Someone who is harsh or unpleasant with others.
sérieux	Someone who takes things seriously.
détendu	Someone who is relaxed and tension-free.
drôle	Someone who amuses easily.
ambitieux	Someone who aims for high goals.
calme	Someone who is peaceful and easy to live with.
fainéant	Someone who avoids effort.
organisé	Someone who organizes well and plans.
honnête	Someone who does not lie.

Scramble

To compare personalities, opposites give a clear image. Sérieux contrasts with détendu. A serious person takes things seriously, while a relaxed person does not tighten up easily. Patient contrasts with impatient. Someone who is patient waits without getting annoyed; someone who is impatient wants things to go faster. Sociable contrasts with réservé. A sociable person easily goes to others; a reserved person talks less and observes more. They are used in sentences like: My brother is serious, but my sister is more relaxed, She is very patient with children, At first, he seems reserved. These oppositions are used to compare two people or to show an evolution in a given situation.

sociablepatientimpatientsoupleréservétêtupessimistedétendusérieuxoptimiste

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Quelqu’un qui veut aller vite et supporte mal l attenteQuelqu’un qui supporte l attente sans s agacerQuelqu’un qui garde ses distances au débutQuelqu’un qui voit surtout le bon côtéQuelqu’un qui s adapte facilementQuelqu’un de relaxé et tranquilleQuelqu’un qui refuse facilement de changer d avisQuelqu’un qui va facilement vers les autresQuelqu’un de concentré et appliquéQuelqu’un qui s attend surtout au pire

Pairs of opposites for comparing

Word	Definition
sérieux	Someone who is focused and diligent.
détendu	Someone who is relaxed and calm.
patient	Someone who tolerates waiting without getting annoyed.
impatient	Someone who wants to go fast and handles waiting poorly.
sociable	Someone who goes readily toward others.
réservé	Someone who keeps their distance at first.
optimiste	Someone who mostly sees the bright side.
pessimiste	Someone who expects the worst.
têtu	Someone who refuses easily to change their mind.
souple	Someone who adapts easily.

Scramble

The most common emotions are described with simple adjectives. Content expresses a pleasant and satisfied state. Triste expresses sorrow or a lack. Fâché indicates clear anger. Stressé describes tension related to a task, an exam, or waiting. Inquiet shows a fear or concern for something that may happen. You can say: I’m happy to see you, She is sad today, He is angry with his neighbor, We are stressed before the exam, The mother is worried for her son. These words are used to express what we feel in everyday life, at home, at work or with friends.

inquietcontentdéçufâchétristejalouxsurprisfatiguéstresséexcité

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Qui n a pas obtenu ce qu il espéraitQui a peur qu un problème arriveQui ne s attendait pas à quelque choseQui ressent de la colèreQui éprouve une grande impatience joyeuseQui manque d énergieQui ressent de la peineQui ressent une forte pressionQui ressent du plaisir ou de la satisfactionQui voudrait ce que quelqu un d autre a

Common daily emotions

Word	Definition
content	Who feels pleasure or satisfaction.
triste	Who feels sadness.
fâché	Who feels anger.
stressé	Who feels strong pressure.
inquiet	Who fears that a problem might occur.
surpris	Who did not expect something.
fatigué	Who lacks energy.
excité	Who feels eager joy.
déçu	Who did not get what they hoped for.
jaloux	Who wants what someone else has.

Scramble

An emotion can be more or less strong. Un peu allows you to reduce intensity: a little disappointed, a little stressed. Très increases it: very happy, very worried. Completely marks total intensity: completely panicked. Other adjectives give a more precise nuance. Frustrated describes a frustration because you don’t get what you want. Relieved expresses ease after a fear or problem. Embarrassed shows a slight discomfort. Embarrassed goes further and corresponds to a clearer social awkwardness. Jealous expresses discomfort caused by the fear of losing someone’s attention, affection, or advantage. You’ll find them in sentences like: He is a little disappointed with the answer, She is very happy with the result, We were completely panicked, I’m relieved now, He is embarrassed to speak in public, She is jealous of her sister. The nuances of this vocabulary are often used with the adjectives from Qualifying adjectives to make the meaning more precise.

frustréraviembarrasséun peu déçucomplètement paniquésoulagéjalouxgênétrès heureuxagacé

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Une peur très forte et soudaineQui ressent une gêne plus forte à cause d une situationQui commence à perdre sa patienceQui est très content et satisfaitUne déception légère et contrôléeQui se sent bloqué malgré ses effortsUn bonheur fort et visibleQui se sent mal à l aise dans une situationQui désire ce qu une autre personne possèdeQui ressent du calme après une inquiétude

Nuances of emotional intensity

Word	Definition
un peu déçu	A mild and controlled disappointment.
très heureux	A strong and visible happiness.
complètement paniqué	A very strong and sudden fear.
frustré	Feeling blocked despite one’s efforts.
soulagé	Feeling calm after a worry.
gêné	Feeling ill at ease in a situation.
embarrassé	Feeling stronger discomfort because of a situation.
jaloux	Desiring what another person possesses.
agacé	Starting to lose one’s patience.
ravi	Being very happy and satisfied.

Scramble

Emotions often appear in behavior. Smiling shows joy, politeness, or agreement. Crying expresses sadness, pain, or great relief. Pouting describes a closed-off reaction, when a person shows their discontent without talking much. Getting angry indicates a rise in anger. Sighing can show fatigue, annoyance, or exasperation. You say: She smiles as she enters the room, The child cries after the fall, He is pouting because we said no, She gets angry when the train is late, He sighs at the work to do. These verbs are very useful because they show what a person feels without saying it directly.

bouders énerversoupirerrirecriertremblerpleurerrougirsourirefroncer les sourcils

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Montrer de la surprise ou du mécontentement avec le visageExpirer fort pour montrer la fatigue ou l agacementParler très fort pour exprimer une émotion ou appelerAvoir le corps qui bouge à cause de la peur ou du froidMontrer son mécontentement en faisant la têteDevenir plus en colèreFaire entendre de la joie ou de l amusementMontrer de la joie avec la bouche et le visageDevenir rouge de gêne ou d émotionLaisser sortir des larmes pour montrer une émotion forte

Visible reactions of the body and voice

Word	Definition
sourire	Showing joy with the mouth and face.
pleurer	Letting tears out to show a strong emotion.
bouder	Showing displeasure by pulling a long face.
s énerver	Becoming angrier.
soupirer	Breathing out strongly to show tiredness or annoyance.
rire	Making joy or amusement heard.
froncer les sourcils	Showing surprise or displeasure with the face.
rougir	Becoming red with embarrassment or emotion.
trembler	Having a body that moves because of fear or cold.
crier	Speaking very loudly to express an emotion or call out.

Scramble

To talk about a lasting trait, we use to be: He is calm, She is shy, We are generous. To talk about the current state, we use to feel: I feel tired, She feels better, They feel nervous before the interview. The expressions with avoir and to be complete this picture. Avoir peur de introduces the thing or situation that provokes fear: to be afraid of the dark, to be afraid of speaking in public. Être fier de is used when we feel pride for oneself or for someone else: to be proud of one's work, to be proud of one's son. Avoir honte de indicates moral or social discomfort: to be ashamed of one's mistake, to be ashamed of having lied. These expressions are used with a noun, a verb in the infinitive, or a clause introduced by de depending on the context.

Usage of to be, to feel, and expressions

Usage	Explanation
Character lasting	We use être to talk about a quality that seems stable in a person.
State of the moment	We use se sentir to talk about the current emotional or physical state.
Fear	We use avoir peur de to say we fear someone or something.
Pride	We use être fier de to show a personal satisfaction.
Shame	We use avoir honte de to say we feel uncomfortable because of oneself.
Anger	We use être fâché contre to show an anger directed at someone.
Temporary emotion	We use se sentir with an adjective for a temporary impression.
General description	We use être with an adjective to describe character in general.

The choice of words changes with the situation. At work, you often describe someone as serious, calm, ambitious or reserved. In the family, you more easily talk about someone being kind, patient, funny or angry. With friends, the words are often more spontaneous: content, stressed, jealous, relaxed. In a job interview, you choose more precise and more neutral terms to talk about character or emotions. You can say: I am a calm person, My colleague is very serious, My brother is often relaxed, She feels embarrassed during the interview. In everyday language, the register stays simple and direct, with to be, to feel and common adjectives to describe personality and state of mind.

chouettestressébavardfinsympaembêtéjalouxdégoûtéfâchécool

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Utilisé autant en famille qu entre amis pour dire qu on voudrait ce que l autre aTrès courant pour dire qu on est sous pression au travail ou à l écoleSe dit de quelqu un de gentil et agréable dans la conversation de tous les joursDans le français courant, peut vouloir dire gentil ou agréable selon le contexteSe dit de quelque chose de plaisant ou sympathiqueSouvent utile en famille ou entre amis pour dire qu une personne parle beaucoupSe dit de quelqu un de détendu et agréable dans un registre courantTrès courant pour exprimer une colère simple et directeSouvent utilisé pour dire qu on est gêné ou contrarié dans une situation quotidienneDans un contexte familier, peut vouloir dire très déçu ou contrarié

Vocabulary by social context

Region	Variant	Definition	Example
France	sympa	Said of someone who is kind and pleasant in everyday conversation.	Mon voisin est sympa avec tout le monde.My neighbor is sympa with everyone.
Belgium	cool	Said of someone who is laid-back and pleasant in a common register.	Ma cousine est cool même en retard.My cousin is cool even when late.
Switzerland	chouette	Said of something that is nice or friendly.	La fête était chouette et pleine de gâteaux.The party was chouette and full of cakes.
France	stressé	Very common to say that one is under pressure at work or school.	Je suis stressé avant l entretien.I am stressé before the interview.
Belgium	embêté	Often used to say one is annoyed or upset in a daily situation.	Je suis embêté par ce petit problème.I am embêté by this little problem.
Switzerland	fâché	Very common to express a simple and direct anger.	Le chef est fâché après le café renversé.The boss is fâché after the spilled coffee.
France	jaloux	Used among family and friends to say one would like what another has.	Mon frère est jaloux de mon vélo rouge.My brother is jaloux of my red bike.
Canada	fin	In everyday French, may mean kind or pleasant depending on context.	Ma tante est fine avec les enfants.My aunt is fine with the children.
France	dégoûté	In informal context, can mean very disappointed or upset.	Je suis dégoûté de ce résultat bizarre.I am dégoûté with this strange result.
Belgium	bavard	Often useful in family or among friends to say that a person talks a lot.	Mon cousin est bavard pendant le goûter.My cousin is bavard during tea time.

Scramble