français · A2 · vocabulary · 4 minutes
Feelings and reactions
Describe a current feeling, a trait, or a change of emotional state.
Understand the choice
French uses être for both temporary feelings and stable character, so time expressions and context do work that another verb might do in Spanish. Learn the feminine forms where sound or spelling changes.
Core rule: Use être + adjective for a current feeling; adjective agreement identifies the experiencer, and se mettre or devenir can show change.
Notice it in context
Je suis nerveux parce que j’ai un examen demain.
I am nervous because I have an exam tomorrow.
Nerveux is masculine singular; j’ai un examen gives the cause after parce que.
Nous sommes contentes, mais Léa est triste.
We are happy, but Léa is sad.
Contentes agrees with an all-feminine nous; triste has one spoken form.
Il se fâche quand il est en retard.
He gets angry when he is late.
Se fâcher describes entering or displaying anger.
What to remember
- Inquiet becomes inquiète in the feminine; nerveux becomes nerveuse.
- Excité can carry sexual or over-stimulated meanings; enthousiaste is safer for positive excitement.
Common trap: Do not translate English excited automatically with excité in every setting. Enthousiaste or impatient de… may express the intended feeling better.