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33 French Vocabulary to Express “Attitudes” (Les Attitudes)

By Frederic Bibard Published:

2 min read

Learn some French vocabulary to express personality, with useful new words to describe someone

On this pagePositive attitudesSome less-pleasant attitudesPersonality traits (les traits de caractère)

Grow your French vocabulary by studying the words on feelings, thoughts, mindsets, manners and attitudes. The sooner you start, the better. An awesome goal is to pick up a couple of nouns and adjectives each day and review in 30 days. Start slow and gradually increase the number of words per day.

People’s attitudes depend on their innate personality traits as well as on their circumstances.

Some people, for example, seem to be endowed with patience (la patience), while others easily succumb to impatience (l’impatience). Note that nouns ending in -té are usually feminine; exceptions include le côté and le comité, while nouns ending in -isme are masculine.

Positive attitudes

  • le couragecourage
  • la douceurgentleness
  • l’enthousiasme (m.)enthusiasm
  • la fiertépride
  • la générositégenerosity
  • l’idéalisme (m.)idealism
  • l’indépendance (f.)independence
  • l’innocence (f.)innocence
  • l’optimisme (m.)optimism
  • la politessepoliteness
  • la prudencecaution, prudence
  • le réalismerealism
  • le zèlezeal

Some less-pleasant attitudes

  • l’agressivité (f.)aggressiveness
  • l’arrogance (f.)arrogance
  • l’égoïsme (m.)selfishness
  • l’ennui (m.)boredom
  • l’envie (f.)envy
  • l’esprit rebelle (m.)rebelliousness
  • l’imprudence (f.)carelessness, imprudence
  • l’insolence (f.)insolence, rudeness
  • la lâchetécowardice
  • la paresselaziness
  • le pessimismepessimism
  • la téméritéboldness, recklessness
  • le sarcasmesarcasm
  • le snobismesnobbery

Personality traits (les traits de caractère)

  • l’avarice (f.)stinginess, greed
  • la foifaith
  • l’héroïsme (m.)heroism
  • l’humour (m.)humor
  • l’ingénuité (f.)naivety, candor
  • la malicemischievousness

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