Here is a list of common French nouns related to emotions, along with example sentences to show how each word can be used in context.
Emotion Nouns
French nouns for emotions often end in -ion (like la frustration or la déception), but many common ones are irregular or come from other roots (like la joie or la peur). Each noun is feminine (la) or masculine (le).
- la joie — joy
- la tristesse — sadness
- la peur — fear
- la colère — anger
- l’amour (m.) — love
- la surprise — surprise
- le dégoût — disgust
- l’anxiété (f.) — anxiety
- la culpabilité — guilt
- la honte — shame
Fill in the blank with the correct French noun for 'surprise': '___ était totale.'
La surprise
'La surprise' means 'surprise' in French. The sentence means 'The surprise was total.'
Emotions Table
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example Singular | French Example Plural | English Example Singular | English Example Plural | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| la joie | les joies | joy | joys | La joie est dans les petites choses. | Les joies de la vie sont simples. | Joy is in the little things. | The joys of life are simple. | Always feminine. |
| la tristesse | les tristesses | sadness | sadnesses | La tristesse peut durer longtemps. | Les tristesses s’estompent avec le temps. | Sadness can last a long time. | Sadnesses fade with time. | Singular often used. |
| la peur | les peurs | fear | fears | La peur est un instinct naturel. | Les peurs nous retiennent parfois. | Fear is a natural instinct. | Fears sometimes hold us back. | Singular more common. |
| la colère | les colères | anger | angers | La colère aveugle parfois. | Les colères sont difficiles à contrôler. | Anger can blind us sometimes. | Angers are hard to control. | Plural rare, indicates outbursts. |
| l’amour (m.) | les amours | love | loves/love affairs | L’amour est beau. | Les amours de jeunesse sont intenses. | Love is beautiful. | Young loves are intense. | Plural often means love affairs. |
| la surprise | les surprises | surprise | surprises | La surprise était totale. | Les surprises sont toujours agréables. | The surprise was total. | Surprises are always pleasant. | Used for positive or negative surprises. |
| le dégoût | les dégoûts | disgust | disgusts | Le dégoût est visible sur son visage. | Les dégoûts varient selon les cultures. | Disgust is visible on his face. | Disgusts vary across cultures. | Always masculine. |
| l’anxiété (f.) | — | anxiety | — | L’anxiété peut provoquer des insomnies. | — | Anxiety can cause insomnia. | — | Usually singular, no plural form. |
| la culpabilité | — | guilt | — | La culpabilité ronge la conscience. | — | Guilt eats away at the conscience. | — | Usually singular, no plural form. |
| la honte | — | shame | — | La honte l’a empêché de parler. | — | Shame stopped him from speaking. | — | Usually singular, no plural form. |
Usage Tips
- Most emotion nouns are used with avoir when talking about "feeling" that emotion (e.g., avoir peur, avoir honte).
- Some nouns can be used with être + adjective: être en colère, être surpris.
- Plural forms are less common and usually refer to multiple instances or types of the emotion.
Flashcards (1 of 10)
- Notes: Always feminine.
- English Singular: joy
- English Plural: joys
- English Example Singular: Joy is in the little things.
- English Example Plural: The joys of life are simple.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
