Les sentiments

What is it?

Feelings are adjectives and therefore they need to agree in gender and in number with the subject of your sentence. Like in English, adjectives are used with a conjugated form of the verb “être” (to be).

 

How to use them?

Like in English, feelings can be followed by connective words or prepositions to form sentences. The connective words or prepositions can be followed by, a proper noun, a pronoun, a possessive adjective and a noun, an article and a noun or an infinitive verb depending on what you want to say. More prepositions or connective words than the ones listed can be used and more adjectives describing feelings can also be used.

For example:
Je suis content(e) pour Paul → I am happy for Paul.

Joy
French	English
Être content	To be happy
Être heureux	To be happy
Être confiant	To be confident
Être chanceux	To be lucky
Être enchanté	To be delighted
Être passionné	To be passionate

Some rules for “joy”

Connectives

The feelings here can be followed by some connectives words like: “pour” (for), “parce que” (because of), “par” (by) and “de” (of).

For example:
Je suis content parce que c’est vendredi → I am happy because it’s Friday.

The preposition “de”

Here “de” is most of the time followed by an infinitive verb, and it becomes “d’” in front of a vowel or “h”. Among other things, it can also be followed by an article and a noun, but in this case, remember to contract the article and “de” if needed.

For example:
Je suis chanceux d’aller à Paris → I am lucky to go to Paris.
Je suis content du résultat → I am happy by (of) the result.

 

Être passionné

“Être passionné”, can be followed by both “par” and “de”. After “par” we need to use a definite article. However, after “de” there is no need for one.

For example:
Je suis passionné par les voitures → I am passionate by (the) cars.
Je suis passionné de voitures → I am passionate by (of) cars.

Fear
French	English
Avoir peur	To be afraid
Être inquiet	To be worried
Être angoissé	To be anxious
Être timide	To be shy

Some rules for “fear”

Connectives

The feelings here can be followed by some connectives words like: “pour” (for), “parce que” (because of), “à cause de” (because of) and “de” (of).

For example:
Je suis inquiet à cause de mon examen → I am worried because of my exam.

The preposition “de”

Here “de” is most of the time followed by an infinitive verb, and it becomes “d’” in front of a vowel or “h”. Among other things, it can also be followed by an article and a noun, but in this case, remember to contract the article and “de” if needed. It is the same for “à cause de”.

For example:
J’ai peur d’aller dans la forêt → I am afraid of going to the forest.
Elle a peur du chien → She is afraid of the dog.

 

Être timide

Most of the time, we will not give any justification for this feeling.

 

Avoir peur

“Avoir peur” is using the verb “avoir” (to have) and a noun. It functions like an adjective but it is not one strictly speaking.

Anger
French	English
Être énervé	To be upset
Être en colère	To be angry
Être fâché	To be cross
Être furieux	To be furious
Être jaloux	To be jealous

Some rules for “anger”

Connectives

The feelings here can be followed by some connectives words like: “contre” (against), “parce que” (because of), “à cause de” (because of), “avec” (with) and “de” (of).

For example:
Je suis faché avec Paul → I am cross with Paul.

The preposition “de”

Here “de” is most of the time followed by an infinitive verb, and it becomes “d’” in front of a vowel or “h”. Among other things, it can also be followed by an article and a noun, but in this case remember to contract the article and “de” if needed. It is the same for “à cause de”.

For example:
Je suis énervé à cause du résultat → I am upset because of the result.
Il est jaloux de l’homme → He is jealous of the man.  

 

Être en colère

Here “en” is compulsory and cannot be removed or changed.

Sadness
French	English
Être triste	To be sad
Être malheureux	To be unhappy
Être désolé	To be sorry
Être déçu	To be disappointed
Être déprimé	To be depressed
Être fatigué	To be tired

Rule for “sadness”

Connectives

The feelings here can be followed by some connectives words like: “à cause de” (because of), “de” (of/about) and “parce que” (because).

For example:
Je suis désolé parce que je suis en retard → I am sorry because I’m late.

The preposition “de”

Here “de” is most of the time followed by an infinitive verb, and it becomes “d’” in front of a vowel or “h”. Among other things, it can also be followed by an article and a noun, but in this case remember to contract the article and “de” if needed. It is the same for “à cause de”.

For example:
Je suis triste à cause du résultat → I am sad because of the result.
Je suis fatigué à cause du travail → I am tired because of work.