When learning French, one of the most vibrant and essential aspects to grasp is how to describe people. Whether you’re trying to converse about friends or characters in a story, knowing a robust set of adjectives can immensely enrich your language skills. Here is a list of must-know French adjectives to describe someone’s appearance, personality, and overall demeanor.
Grand (tall) – This adjective is often used to describe someone’s height.
Mon frère est très grand.
Petit (short) – Opposite of grand, it describes someone who is not very tall.
Sa sœur est assez petite.
Jeune (young) – Used to describe someone who is young or youthful.
Elle paraît plus jeune qu’elle ne l’est.
Vieux (old) – This adjective describes someone of an older age. It can be seen as respectful or pejorative depending on the context.
Le vieux monsieur raconte des histoires intéressantes.
Beau (handsome) – Commonly used to describe an attractive male.
Son fils est vraiment beau.
Belle (beautiful) – Similar to beau, but used for females.
Sa fille est très belle.
Intelligent (intelligent) – Used for someone who is very smart or has high mental capacity.
Cet étudiant est particulièrement intelligent.
Stupide (stupid) – Describes someone lacking intelligence or common sense.
Il n’était pas stupide, juste mal informé.
Drôle (funny) – Used when someone or something is humorous or amusing.
Mon oncle est très drôle.
Ennuyeux (boring) – Describes someone or something that is not interesting or engaging.
Le professeur peut être ennuyeux parfois.
Gentil (kind) – Indicates a good-natured or friendly person.
Elle est très gentille avec tout le monde.
Méchant (mean/nasty) – Used to describe someone who is unkind or malevolent.
Evite de parler à Marc, il peut être très méchant.
Fort (strong) – Can refer to either physical or emotional strength.
Mon père est fort comme un lion.
Faible (weak) – The opposite of fort, it can describe someone with a lack of strength or resolve.
Après la maladie, elle était encore faible.
Amusant (entertaining) – Describes someone who is enjoyable to be around.
Les histoires de ma grand-mère sont toujours amusantes.
Aggressif (aggressive) – Describes someone who is often confrontational or assertive to an excessive degree.
Leur chien peut être assez aggressif envers les étrangers.
Timide (shy) – Used to describe someone who is reserved or nervous around others.
Le petit garçon est timide en classe.
Curieux (curious) – Describes someone who has a strong desire to learn or know something.
La jeune fille est curieuse de tout.
Sérieux (serious) – Indicates someone who is solemn or not given to frivolity.
Il est toujours sérieux au travail.
Fou (crazy) – Used to describe someone who is mentally unstable or very eccentric.
Il fait des choses que seul un fou pourrait faire.
Doux (gentle) – Describes someone who is soft-spoken, tender, or compassionate.
Sa voix est douce et apaisante.
Énergique (energetic) – Describes someone full of energy and enthusiasm.
Les enfants sont particulièrement énergiques le matin.
These adjectives are just a starting point to help you describe people in French accurately and vividly. By expanding your vocabulary, you can express yourself more precisely and make your conversations richer and more engaging. Remember, the more you practice, the more naturally these words will come to you in conversation.
