Expressing feelings in French lets you describe your inner world and connect with others. Here's vocabulary organized into practical categories.
Positive Feelings
Positive feelings highlight joy, contentment, and love. They help you describe happiness, gratitude, and connection.
Pronunciation Tip: Many positive emotion words end in -é (pronounced like ay), such as heureux (uh-reu) or amoureux (ah-moo-reu).
| French | English | Example (French) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| heureux / heureuse | happy | Je suis heureux aujourd'hui. | I am happy today. |
| joyeux / joyeuse | joyful | Elle est joyeuse de te voir. | She is joyful to see you. |
| content / contente | content | Nous sommes contents du résultat. | We are content with the result. |
| amoureux / amoureuse | in love | Ils sont amoureux depuis longtemps. | They have been in love for a long time. |
| reconnaissant / reconnaissante | grateful | Je suis reconnaissant pour ton aide. | I am grateful for your help. |
Negative Feelings
Negative feelings express discomfort, sadness, and frustration. They are useful for sharing when things aren't going well.
Pronunciation Tip: Negative emotions often include sounds like s or z (for example, stressé or triste).
| French | English | Example (French) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| triste | sad | Elle est triste ce matin. | She is sad this morning. |
| en colère | angry | Je suis en colère contre lui. | I am angry at him. |
| anxieux / anxieuse | anxious | Il est anxieux pour l'examen. | He is anxious about the exam. |
| fatigué / fatiguée | tired | Nous sommes fatigués après le voyage. | We are tired after the trip. |
| stressé / stressée | stressed | Je suis stressé par le travail. | I am stressed by work. |
Physical Feelings
Physical feelings describe bodily sensations. They help you talk about your body's state.
Pronunciation Tip: Many physical feeling words end in -é or -ée, and the ending changes with gender.
| French | English | Example (French) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| malade | sick | Je suis malade aujourd'hui. | I am sick today. |
| fatigué / fatiguée | tired | Elle est fatiguée ce soir. | She is tired this evening. |
| chaud / chaude | hot | J'ai chaud en été. | I am hot in summer. |
| froid / froide | cold | Il a froid dehors. | He is cold outside. |
| nerveux / nerveuse | nervous | Tu es nerveux avant la présentation. | You are nervous before the presentation. |
You (informal) are nervous before the presentation.
Tu es nerveux / nerveuse avant la présentation.
"Tu es nerveux / nerveuse avant la présentation." correctly expresses nervousness. The other options convey different emotions that don't fit this context.
Mixed Feelings
Mixed feelings capture complexity and ambiguity in emotions. They help you express when you feel more than one thing.
Pronunciation Tip: Words like confus and ému use nasal vowel sounds (the vowel is pronounced through the nose).
| French | English | Example (French) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| confus / confuse | confused | Je suis confus par la question. | I am confused by the question. |
| embarrassé / embarrassée | embarrassed | Elle est embarrassée devant tout le monde. | She is embarrassed in front of everyone. |
| surpris / surprise | surprised | Nous sommes surpris par la nouvelle. | We are surprised by the news. |
| ému / émue | moved / touched | Il est ému par ce discours. | He is moved by this speech. |
| nostalgique | nostalgic | Je me sens nostalgique ce soir. | I feel nostalgic tonight. |
Describing Others' Feelings
Use these phrases to describe how someone else feels, which makes conversations richer.
Pronunciation Tip: The verb avoir (to have) is often used for feelings, as in avoir peur (to be afraid).
| French | English | Example (French) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Il a l'air ... | He looks ... | Il a l'air fatigué. | He looks tired. |
| Elle semble ... | She seems ... | Elle semble heureuse. | She seems happy. |
| Ils ont l'air ... | They look ... | Ils ont l'air stressés. | They look stressed. |
| On dirait qu'il est ... | It looks like he is ... | On dirait qu'il est en colère. | It looks like he is angry. |
| Elle paraît ... | She appears ... | Elle paraît calme aujourd'hui. | She appears calm today. |
She seems happy.
Elle semble heureuse.
"Elle semble heureuse." means "She seems happy." The incorrect options describe other emotions that do not fit this context.
Using "Être" and "Avoir" for Feelings
In French, some feelings use the verb être (to be), while others use expressions with avoir (to have). This is important for correct grammar.
Feelings with *être
These adjectives agree in gender and number (e.g., heureux vs. heureuse).
| French | English | Example (French) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Je suis heureux / heureuse | I am happy | Je suis heureuse aujourd'hui. | I am happy today. |
| Tu es triste | You are sad | Tu es triste ce soir. | You are sad tonight. |
| Il est fatigué | He is tired | Il est fatigué après demain. | He is tired after tomorrow. |
| Nous sommes stressés / stressées | We are stressed | Nous sommes stressées par l'examen. | We are stressed by the exam. |
| Elles sont nerveuses | They (f) are nervous | Elles sont nerveuses avant le spectacle. | They are nervous before the show. |
Feelings with *avoir
These are fixed expressions where avoir is conjugated, and the feeling follows as a noun.
| French | English | Example (French) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| J'ai peur | I am afraid | J'ai peur des chiens. | I am afraid of dogs. |
| Tu as raison | You are right | Tu as raison de partir. | You are right to leave. |
| Il a besoin de | He needs | Il a besoin de se reposer. | He needs to rest. |
| Nous avons envie de | We feel like | Nous avons envie de danser. | We feel like dancing. |
| Elles ont sommeil | They (f) are sleepy | Elles ont sommeil après le dîner. | They are sleepy after dinner. |
French feelings vocabulary gives you the tools to express yourself clearly and naturally. Practice using these words in context to build your confidence.
They (f) are sleepy after dinner.
Elles ont sommeil _____ dîner. (elles / avoir) — après
The phrase is "Elles ont sommeil après dîner," meaning "They are sleepy after dinner." The preposition "après" correctly indicates "after." Other prepositions do not fit this temporal context.
Flashcards (1 of 35)
- English: happy
- Example (English): I am happy today.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
