A comprehensive list of French feelings words, including adjectives, nouns, and verbs, with example sentences to help you express emotions accurately.
Understanding how to describe emotions in French is essential for expressing yourself naturally and connecting with others. This guide covers the most common French feelings words, from simple adjectives to more complex verbs and nouns, complete with example sentences to show you how they’re used in context.
- Covers adjectives, nouns, and verbs related to feelings
- Includes example sentences for real-world usage
- Helps build a foundation for expressing emotions in French
Adjectives
French feelings adjectives are used to describe how someone feels or the emotional state they are in. These adjectives agree in gender and number with the subject.
| French Adjective | English Adjective | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| heureux / heureuse | happy | Je suis heureuse aujourd’hui. | I am happy today. |
| triste | sad | Il est triste ce soir. | He is sad tonight. |
| en colère | angry | Elle est en colère contre moi. | She is angry with me. |
| fatigué / fatiguée | tired | Nous sommes fatigués après le voyage. | We are tired after the trip. |
| surpris / surprise | surprised | Je suis surpris par la nouvelle. | I am surprised by the news. |
| nerveux / nerveuse | nervous | Tu es nerveuse avant l’examen. | You are nervous before the exam. |
| excité / excitée | excited | Les enfants sont excités pour Noël. | The children are excited for Christmas. |
| calme | calm | Il reste calme malgré le chaos. | He stays calm despite the chaos. |
| déçu / déçue | disappointed | Je suis déçue de ne pas y aller. | I am disappointed not to go. |
| confus / confuse | confused | Elle est confuse par la situation. | She is confused by the situation. |
Nouns
French feelings nouns often describe the state of emotion itself or the concept of a particular feeling. They can be masculine or feminine.
| French Noun | English Noun | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| la joie | joy | La joie est dans les petites choses. | Joy is in the little things. |
| la tristesse | sadness | La tristesse peut être difficile à gérer. | Sadness can be hard to handle. |
| la colère | anger | Sa colère était évidente. | His anger was obvious. |
| la peur | fear | Elle a surmonté sa peur. | She overcame her fear. |
| le stress | stress | Le stress affecte la santé. | Stress affects health. |
| l’amour | love | L’amour est un sentiment puissant. | Love is a powerful feeling. |
| l’espoir | hope | L’espoir fait vivre. | Hope keeps us alive. |
| la surprise | surprise | La surprise a été totale. | The surprise was total. |
| la fatigue | tiredness | La fatigue se fait sentir. | The tiredness is noticeable. |
| la confusion | confusion | La confusion règne dans la salle. | Confusion reigns in the room. |
Verbs
French feelings verbs describe the action of feeling or experiencing an emotion. They are usually reflexive when describing one’s own emotions.
| French Verb | English Verb | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| se sentir | to feel | Je me sens bien aujourd’hui. | I feel good today. |
| ressentir | to feel/experience | Il ressent de la joie. | He feels joy. |
| s’inquiéter | to worry | Ne t’inquiète pas pour rien. | Don’t worry about nothing. |
| s’énerver | to get angry | Elle s’énerve rapidement. | She gets angry quickly. |
| s’amuser | to have fun | Nous nous amusons au parc. | We’re having fun at the park. |
| s’ennuyer | to be bored | Je m’ennuie à la maison. | I’m bored at home. |
| être heureux(se) | to be happy | Elle est heureuse en vacances. | She is happy on vacation. |
| pleurer | to cry | Il pleure souvent devant les films. | He often cries during movies. |
| sourire | to smile | Elle sourit tout le temps. | She smiles all the time. |
| déprimer | to be depressed | Il déprime en hiver. | He gets depressed in winter. |
Understanding these French feelings words will help you express a wide range of emotions more naturally and accurately. Practice using them in sentences to build your confidence in speaking about your feelings.
Je ___ bien aujourd’hui. (I feel good today.)
Which French verb means 'to feel' (oneself)?
me sens
The reflexive verb 'se sentir' is conjugated as 'je me sens' for 'I feel'. Other verbs mean 'to experience', 'to worry', and 'to have fun'.
Flashcards (1 of 30)
- English Adjective: happy
- English Example: I am happy today.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
