Express emotions and feelings, describe personality traits, talk about relationships and life events â from friendships to romance to family bonds â in both French and Canadian French.
Estimated Time: 45â55 minutes
French uses two main structures for emotions: ĂȘtre (to be) + adjective and avoir (to have) + noun. Getting the right one matters â mixing them up is a common mistake!
| French | English | Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Je suis content(e) | I'm happy/pleased | ĂȘtre + adj |
| Je suis heureux / heureuse | I'm happy | ĂȘtre + adj |
| Je suis triste | I'm sad | ĂȘtre + adj |
| Je suis en colĂšre | I'm angry | ĂȘtre + expression |
| Je suis fĂąchĂ©(e) | I'm angry / upset | ĂȘtre + adj |
| Je suis surpris(e) | I'm surprised | ĂȘtre + adj |
| Je suis fatiguĂ©(e) | I'm tired | ĂȘtre + adj |
| Je suis inquiet / inquiĂšte | I'm worried | ĂȘtre + adj |
| Je suis jaloux / jalouse | I'm jealous | ĂȘtre + adj |
| Je suis déçu(e) | I'm disappointed | ĂȘtre + adj |
| Je suis gĂȘnĂ©(e) | I'm embarrassed | ĂȘtre + adj |
| Je suis fier / fiĂšre | I'm proud | ĂȘtre + adj |
Some emotions use avoir (to have) instead of ĂȘtre. Think of it as "having" a feeling rather than "being" one:
| French | Literal | English |
|---|---|---|
| J'ai peur | I have fear | I'm scared / afraid |
| J'ai honte | I have shame | I'm ashamed |
| J'ai de la chance | I have luck | I'm lucky |
| J'ai envie de⊠| I have desire for⊠| I feel like⊠/ I want to⊠|
| J'ai hùte de⊠| I have eagerness for⊠| I can't wait to⊠|
| J'ai le cafard | I have the cockroach | I'm feeling down / blue |
| J'ai le mal du pays | I have the sickness of the country | I'm homesick |
Je suis excitĂ©(e) exists but can have sexual connotations in French! For "I'm excited (about something)," prefer: Je suis enthousiaste, J'ai hĂąte, or Ăa me fait plaisir. This catches many English speakers off guard.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Comment ça va ? / Comment vas-tu ? | How are you? (informal) |
| Comment allez-vous ? | How are you? (formal) |
| Ăa va bien / mal / pas mal | I'm doing well / badly / not bad |
| Je me sens bien / mal | I feel good / bad |
| Je n'ai pas le moral | I'm feeling low / down |
| Je suis de bonne / mauvaise humeur | I'm in a good / bad mood |
| Ăa m'Ă©nerve ! | That annoys me! |
| Ăa me rend triste / heureux | That makes me sad / happy |
| J'en ai marre ! | I'm fed up! |
| Je m'en fiche | I don't care |
The French tend toward understatement: "Ăa va" (it's going) covers everything from "fine" to "surviving." "Je suis un peu déçu" (I'm a bit disappointed) can mean deeply unhappy. "Pas mal" (not bad) is often genuine praise. Common intensifiers: vraiment (really), tellement (so much), carrĂ©ment (totally, slang).
QuĂ©bĂ©cois French is often more expressive and direct. "J'suis ben content !" (I'm really happy â ben = bien). "Ăa m'Ă©coeure !" can mean "that disgusts me" or "that's amazing!" depending on tone. "C'est l'fun !" (it's fun) is ubiquitous. The sacres (swear words from religious terms) are used as intensifiers: "C'est crissement bon !"
| French | English | French | English | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| un(e) ami(e) | friend | un copain / une copine | friend / boyfriend / girlfriend | |
| un(e) meilleur(e) ami(e) | best friend | un(e) petit(e) ami(e) | boyfriend / girlfriend | |
| un(e) collĂšgue | colleague | un(e) voisin(e) | neighbor | |
| un(e) camarade | classmate / comrade | un(e) ex | ex (partner) | |
| un couple | a couple | un(e) fiancé(e) | fiancé(e) | |
| le mari / l'Ă©poux | husband | la femme / l'Ă©pouse | wife | |
| le conjoint / la conjointe | partner / spouse | le/la partenaire | partner |
Mon copain can mean "my friend" or "my boyfriend" depending on context. Among adults, it usually implies a romantic partner. For clarity: un ami = friend, mon copain = usually boyfriend. Adding petit(e) always means romantic: mon petit ami = my boyfriend.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je suis célibataire | I'm single |
| Je suis en couple | I'm in a relationship |
| Je suis fiancé(e) | I'm engaged |
| Je suis marié(e) | I'm married |
| Je suis divorcé(e) | I'm divorced |
| Je suis veuf / veuve | I'm widowed |
| Je suis pacsé(e) | I'm in a civil union (PACS) |
| C'est compliqué | It's complicated |
The PACS (Pacte Civil de SolidaritĂ©) is a civil union available to all couples in France since 1999. Hugely popular â nearly as many couples get PACSed as married. It offers many legal benefits of marriage with an easier dissolution process. "On est pacsĂ©s" is a common relationship status.
In QuĂ©bec, conjoint(e) de fait (common-law partner) is very common. QuĂ©bec has the lowest marriage rate in Canada. Many couples live together long-term without marrying. "Mon chum" (boyfriend) and "ma blonde" (girlfriend) are the classic QuĂ©bĂ©cois terms â yes, blonde means girlfriend regardless of hair color!
| French | English |
|---|---|
| tomber amoureux / amoureuse (de) | to fall in love (with) |
| ĂȘtre amoureux / amoureuse (de) | to be in love (with) |
| Je t'aime | I love you |
| Je t'adore | I adore you |
| Tu me manques | I miss you (lit: you are missing to me) |
| un rendez-vous (amoureux) | a (romantic) date |
| draguer | to flirt / hit on someone |
| un coup de foudre | love at first sight (lit: a lightning strike) |
| sortir avec quelqu'un | to go out with someone / to date |
| se mettre ensemble | to get together (as a couple) |
| embrasser / un bisou | to kiss / a kiss |
"I miss you" in French is Tu me manques â literally "You are missing to me." The subject is the person being missed, not the one doing the missing. Mes parents me manquent = I miss my parents (my parents are missing to me). This trips up English speakers constantly!
| French | English |
|---|---|
| se disputer | to argue / fight |
| une dispute / une querelle | an argument |
| se réconcilier | to make up / reconcile |
| rompre / casser | to break up |
| quitter quelqu'un | to leave someone |
| tromper quelqu'un | to cheat on someone |
| avoir le cĆur brisĂ© | to be heartbroken |
| se séparer | to separate |
| divorcer | to divorce |
| tourner la page | to move on (lit: turn the page) |
| refaire sa vie | to start over / rebuild one's life |
| French | English |
|---|---|
| se faire des amis | to make friends |
| un(e) ami(e) proche | a close friend |
| un(e) ami(e) d'enfance | a childhood friend |
| faire confiance Ă | to trust |
| compter sur quelqu'un | to count on someone |
| s'entendre bien avec | to get along well with |
| se confier Ă | to confide in |
| rigoler / s'amuser ensemble | to laugh / have fun together |
| un pot / un verre (entre amis) | a drink (between friends) |
| perdre contact | to lose touch |
French friendships tend to form slowly but run deep. The apĂ©ro (pre-dinner drinks) is the social ritual â "On prend un apĂ©ro ?" is the classic invite. La bise (cheek kisses) between friends is standard greeting practice. Close male friends may use mon pote (my buddy).
QuĂ©bĂ©cois culture tends to be warmer and more open initially â closer to North American norms. "Mon chum" can mean a male friend (not just boyfriend) depending on context. "On va prendre une biĂšre ?" (Want to grab a beer?) is the go-to social invite. Le 5 Ă 7 (5 to 7 PM happy hour) is a popular post-work gathering tradition.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| la naissance | birth |
| un baptĂȘme | baptism / christening |
| un anniversaire | birthday / anniversary |
| les fiançailles (f. pl.) | engagement |
| le mariage / la noce | wedding |
| la lune de miel | honeymoon |
| un enterrement de vie de garçon / jeune fille | bachelor / bachelorette party |
| la retraite | retirement |
| un décÚs / la mort | death / passing |
| les funérailles / l'enterrement | funeral / burial |
| FĂ©licitations ! | Congratulations! |
| Toutes mes condoléances | My deepest condolences |
â Comment tu vas ? Tu as l'air triste.
(How are you? You look sad.)
â Oui, je suis un peu dĂ©primĂ©. Ma copine et moi, on s'est sĂ©parĂ©s.
(Yeah, I'm a bit down. My girlfriend and I broke up.)
â Oh non, je suis dĂ©solĂ©. Ăa fait combien de temps ?
(Oh no, I'm sorry. How long ago?)
â Deux semaines. C'est dur, mais bon, il faut tourner la page.
(Two weeks. It's hard, but well, I have to move on.)
â Devine quoi ! Marc m'a demandĂ© en mariage !
(Guess what! Marc proposed to me!)
â Ah, c'est gĂ©nial ! FĂ©licitations ! Ăa a Ă©tĂ© un coup de foudre, vous deux ?
(That's amazing! Congratulations! Was it love at first sight, you two?)
â Pas du tout, on Ă©tait amis pendant trois ans avant de sortir ensemble !
(Not at all, we were friends for three years before dating!)
1. How do you say "I'm scared" in French?
2. What does "Tu me manques" literally mean?
3. In Québec, what does "ma blonde" mean?
4. Why should you be careful with "Je suis excité(e)"?
5. What is a "coup de foudre"?
⊠Emotions use "ĂȘtre + adj" (je suis triste) OR "avoir + noun" (j'ai peur). Don't mix them up!
⊠Avoid "je suis excitĂ©(e)" â use "enthousiaste" or "j'ai hĂąte" for excitement.
⊠"Tu me manques" = I miss you (reversed subject: you are missing to me).
⊠"Copain/copine" can mean friend or partner â context is everything.
⊠đšđŠ "Mon chum" = boyfriend, "ma blonde" = girlfriend (regardless of hair color!).
⊠đ«đ· PACS = civil union (very popular). đšđŠ Conjoint(e) de fait = common-law partner.
⊠"Un coup de foudre" (lightning strike) = love at first sight. Romance is built into the language!