Feelings with avoir
J’ai peur, j’ai honte, j’ai hâte
These feelings are nouns in French, so they take avoir and never change for a man or woman. Add de for what causes the feeling: j’ai peur des araignées.
avoir peurliterally “fear”
J’aiI-havepeurfeardu noir.of-the dark
avoir honteliterally “shame”
J’aiI-havehonteshamede mon erreur.of my mistake
avoir hâteliterally “haste”
J’aiI-havehâtehastede partir !to leave
avoir envieliterally “desire”
J’aiI-haveenviedesired’une glace.of-an ice-cream
avoir le cafardliterally “the cockroach”
J’aiI-havele cafard.the cockroach
en avoir marreliterally “to have enough”
J’enI-of-itaihavemarre !enough
How feeling adjectives change
Content, contente; heureux, heureuse
Adjectives follow a few patterns for the feminine. Tap a pair to hear both; where the sound changes, you hear the difference.
Reacting out loud
Génial !, Ça m’énerve, J’en ai marre
Everyday exclamations, grouped by mood. Tap to hear them.
Joy
Annoyance
Sympathy
Surprise
Feelings about someone else
Je suis content que tu sois là
When a feeling is about what another person does, French joins the two parts with que and puts the second verb in the subjunctive, a verb form for wishes and feelings. If it is about you, use de + infinitive.
About someone else: que + subjunctivezhuh swee kon-TONT kuh tü SWA LA · “I’m glad you’re here.”
Je suisI amcontentepleasedquethattuyousoisarelà.here
About you: de + infinitivezhuh swee kon-TONT DETR LA · “I’m glad to be here.”
Je suisI amcontentepleasedd’êtreto-belà.here
About someone elsezhay PUHR keel SWA on ruh-TAR · “I’m afraid he’ll be late.”
J’aiI-havepeurfearqu’ilthat-hesoitisen retard.late
About youzhay PUHR DETR on ruh-TAR · “I’m afraid I’ll be late.”
J’aiI-havepeurfeard’êtreof-beingen retard.late
Feelings in the body
J’ai le cœur qui bat
French often describes an emotion by what the body does.
Nerveszhay luh TRAK · “I’ve got stage fright.”le trac = nerves before speaking or performing.
J’aiI-havele trac.stage-fright
Fearzhay la shair duh POOL · “I’ve got goosebumps.”“Hen’s flesh”: from fear or emotion.
J’aiI-havela chair de poule.the flesh of hen
Excitementzhay luh KUHR kee BA · “My heart is pounding.”Used for love, fear or excitement.
J’aiI-havele cœurthe heartqui bat.that beats
Shamezhay ONT · “I’m ashamed.”avoir honte de = to be ashamed of.
J’aiI-havehonte.shame
Calming and comforting
Calme-toi, ça va aller
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