When learning French, one of the first things you’ll want to know is how to express different emotions or reactions. For example, knowing how to say “terrible” in French is very useful. Whether you want to describe a bad situation, express disappointment, or even use it positively in a casual way, learning this word and its variations can help you sound natural.
In this article, we’ll explore how to say “terrible” in French, discover other ways to express the same idea, and practice using it in real-life situations. You’ll also learn how to respond to someone using the word “terrible” and take part in some fun exercises to help you master this essential term. Let’s get started!
Ways to Say “Terrible” in French
The word “terrible” in French can have various meanings depending on the context. It can mean “awful” or “horrible” in one situation and “amazing” or “fantastic” in another. This flexibility makes it an interesting word to learn. Below are some common ways to express “terrible” in French, their pronunciation, meanings, and examples of how to use them in sentences.
1. Terrible
Pronunciation: tehr-ree-bluh
Meaning: Awful, horrible, or amazing (context-dependent).
In a Sentence:
- Ce film était terrible. (This movie was awful.)
- La fête était terrible ! (The party was amazing!)
2. Horrible
Pronunciation: oh-ree-bluh
Meaning: Awful or dreadful.
In a Sentence:
- La météo aujourd’hui est horrible. (The weather today is dreadful.)
- C’était un horrible accident. (It was a horrible accident.)
3. Affreux / Affreuse
Pronunciation: ah-fruh / ah-fruhz
Meaning: Awful, hideous, or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- Ce repas était affreux. (This meal was awful.)
- Elle a eu une affreuse expérience. (She had a terrible experience.)
4. Épouvantable
Pronunciation: ay-poo-vahn-tah-bluh
Meaning: Appalling or dreadful.
In a Sentence:
- Le bruit était épouvantable. (The noise was appalling.)
- Les conditions de travail sont épouvantables. (The working conditions are dreadful.)
5. Catastrophique
Pronunciation: kah-tah-stroh-feek
Meaning: Disastrous or catastrophic.
In a Sentence:
- Le match était catastrophique. (The match was disastrous.)
- C’est une décision catastrophique. (It’s a disastrous decision.)
6. Tragique
Pronunciation: trah-zheek
Meaning: Tragic or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- L’accident était tragique. (The accident was tragic.)
- La situation est vraiment tragique. (The situation is truly terrible.)
7. Désastreux / Désastreuse
Pronunciation: day-zah-struh / day-zah-struhz
Meaning: Disastrous or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- Ce projet était désastreux. (This project was disastrous.)
- La performance était désastreuse. (The performance was terrible.)
8. Mal
Pronunciation: mahl
Meaning: Bad or terrible (used generally).
In a Sentence:
- Ce n’est pas si mal. (It’s not that bad.)
- Tout va mal aujourd’hui. (Everything is going terribly today.)
9. Fâcheux / Fâcheuse
Pronunciation: fah-shuh / fah-shuhz
Meaning: Unfortunate or regrettable.
In a Sentence:
- C’est un incident fâcheux. (This is an unfortunate incident.)
- La nouvelle est très fâcheuse. (The news is very regrettable.)
10. Navrant / Navrante
Pronunciation: nah-vrahn / nah-vrahnt
Meaning: Heartbreaking or disappointing.
In a Sentence:
- C’est vraiment navrant de voir cela. (It’s truly heartbreaking to see this.)
- Son échec était navrant. (His failure was disappointing.)
11. Minable
Pronunciation: mee-nah-bluh
Meaning: Pathetic or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- Ce concert était minable. (This concert was pathetic.)
- Les résultats étaient minables. (The results were terrible.)
12. Dégueulasse (Informal)
Pronunciation: day-guh-lass
Meaning: Gross or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- Ce plat est dégueulasse. (This dish is disgusting.)
- La situation était dégueulasse. (The situation was terrible.)
13. Exécrable
Pronunciation: ex-ay-krah-bluh
Meaning: Abominable or extremely bad.
In a Sentence:
- Son comportement était exécrable. (His behavior was abominable.)
- La nourriture était exécrable. (The food was terrible.)
14. Atroce
Pronunciation: ah-tross
Meaning: Atrocious or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- Cette douleur est atroce. (This pain is atrocious.)
- Les conditions étaient atroces. (The conditions were terrible.)
15. Mauvais / Mauvaise
Pronunciation: moh-veh / moh-vez
Meaning: Bad or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- Ce film est mauvais. (This movie is bad.)
- La décision était mauvaise. (The decision was terrible.)
16. Pitoyable
Pronunciation: pee-twah-yah-bluh
Meaning: Pitiful or pathetic.
In a Sentence:
- Leur prestation était pitoyable. (Their performance was pitiful.)
- Ce travail est pitoyable. (This work is pathetic.)
17. Médiocre
Pronunciation: may-dee-oh-cruh
Meaning: Mediocre or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- Le service était médiocre. (The service was mediocre.)
- La qualité est médiocre. (The quality is terrible.)
18. Immonde
Pronunciation: ee-mond
Meaning: Filthy or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- Cet endroit est immonde. (This place is filthy.)
- La situation était immonde. (The situation was terrible.)
19. Lamentable
Pronunciation: lah-mahn-tah-bluh
Meaning: Shameful or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- Sa performance était lamentable. (His performance was shameful.)
- Les résultats étaient lamentables. (The results were terrible.)
20. Cruel
Pronunciation: kroo-el
Meaning: Cruel or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- C’est cruel de lui faire ça. (It’s cruel to do that to him.)
- La punition était vraiment cruelle. (The punishment was really terrible.)
21. Insupportable
Pronunciation: an-soo-por-tah-bluh
Meaning: Unbearable or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- La chaleur est insupportable. (The heat is unbearable.)
- Son comportement est insupportable. (His behavior is terrible.)
22. Dramatique
Pronunciation: drah-mah-teek
Meaning: Dramatic or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- La situation est dramatique. (The situation is dramatic.)
- Les conséquences peuvent être dramatiques. (The consequences can be terrible.)
23. Pénible
Pronunciation: pay-nee-bluh
Meaning: Painful or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- Ce travail est pénible. (This work is painful.)
- La réunion était pénible. (The meeting was terrible.)
24. Chocant
Pronunciation: shoh-kahn
Meaning: Shocking or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- Cette nouvelle est choquante. (This news is shocking.)
- Son comportement était choquant. (His behavior was terrible.)
25. Infernal
Pronunciation: an-fehr-nal
Meaning: Hellish or terrible.
In a Sentence:
- Le trafic était infernal ce matin. (The traffic was hellish this morning.)
- C’était une expérience infernale. (It was a terrible experience.)
Other Ways to Say “Terrible” in French
Below is a list of other ways to express “terrible” in French. Each entry includes the pronunciation, meaning, and an example sentence to help you understand and use these phrases in context.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Impraticable | am-prah-tee-kah-bluh | Unusable or terrible | La route était impraticable après la tempête. (The road was unusable after the storm.) |
| Déplorable | day-ploh-rah-bluh | Deplorable or terrible | Les conditions de vie sont déplorables ici. (The living conditions here are terrible.) |
| Révoltant | ray-vol-tahn | Revolting or terrible | C’est révoltant de voir une telle injustice. (It’s revolting to see such injustice.) |
| Intolérable | an-toh-lay-rah-bluh | Intolerable or unbearable | Ce bruit est intolérable. (This noise is unbearable.) |
| Effroyable | eh-froy-ah-bluh | Frightening or terrible | L’accident était effroyable. (The accident was frightening.) |
| Dégoûtant | day-goo-tahn | Disgusting or terrible | Ce repas est dégoûtant. (This meal is disgusting.) |
| Repoussant | ruh-poo-sahn | Repulsive or terrible | L’odeur était repoussante. (The smell was repulsive.) |
| Inadmissible | ee-nahd-mee-see-bluh | Unacceptable or terrible | Son comportement est inadmissible. (His behavior is unacceptable.) |
| Écrasant | ay-krah-sahn | Overwhelming or terrible | La défaite était écrasante. (The defeat was overwhelming.) |
| Alarmant | ah-lar-mahn | Alarming or terrible | La situation est alarmante. (The situation is alarming.) |
| Insensé | an-sahn-say | Senseless or terrible | Ce geste est insensé. (This action is senseless.) |
| Désolant | day-zoh-lahn | Distressing or terrible | Le spectacle était désolant. (The spectacle was distressing.) |
| Inexcusable | ee-nex-kew-zah-bluh | Inexcusable or terrible | Son erreur est inexcusable. (His mistake is inexcusable.) |
| Horrifiant | oh-ree-fee-ahn | Horrifying or terrible | Ce film était horrifiant. (This movie was horrifying.) |
| Glacial | glah-see-ahl | Freezing or terrible (figurative) | L’accueil était glacial. (The reception was freezing.) |
| Cruel | kroo-el | Cruel or terrible | Ce traitement est cruel. (This treatment is cruel.) |
| Vexant | vex-sahn | Annoying or terrible | Cette remarque est vexante. (This comment is annoying.) |
| Dommageable | doh-mah-zhah-bluh | Harmful or terrible | Cette décision est dommageable. (This decision is harmful.) |
| Abominable | ah-boh-mee-nah-bluh | Abominable or terrible | Le crime était abominable. (The crime was abominable.) |
| Sinistre | see-neest | Sinister or terrible | La maison semblait sinistre. (The house seemed sinister.) |
| Dévastateur / Dévastatrice | day-vah-stah-teur / day-vah-stah-treece | Devastating or terrible | L’ouragan a eu un impact dévastateur. (The hurricane had a devastating impact.) |
| Écœurant | ay-kuh-rahnt | Sickening or terrible | Son comportement est écœurant. (His behavior is sickening.) |
| Sordide | sor-deed | Squalid or terrible | L’appartement était sordide. (The apartment was squalid.) |
| Insaisissable | an-say-zee-sah-bluh | Elusive or terrible (figurative) | La vérité reste insaisissable. (The truth remains elusive.) |
| Chaotique | kah-oh-teek | Chaotic or terrible | La situation est chaotique. (The situation is chaotic.) |
Responses to “Terrible” in French
When someone uses the word “terrible” in French, it’s essential to know how to respond based on the context. Whether they mean it positively or negatively, your response should reflect your understanding of their tone. Below are some common responses to use in different situations.
1. Vraiment ?
Pronunciation: vray-mahn
Meaning: Really?
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ce film était terrible. (That movie was terrible.)
- Person 2: Vraiment ? Pourquoi ? (Really? Why?)
2. C’est dommage
Pronunciation: say doh-mahj
Meaning: That’s a shame.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: La fête était terrible à cause de la pluie. (The party was terrible because of the rain.)
- Person 2: C’est dommage. (That’s a shame.)
3. Oh là là !
Pronunciation: oh lah lah
Meaning: Oh no! (Surprise or concern)
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Les résultats de l’examen étaient terribles. (The exam results were terrible.)
- Person 2: Oh là là ! Que s’est-il passé ? (Oh no! What happened?)
4. C’est incroyable !
Pronunciation: say an-kroh-yah-bluh
Meaning: That’s unbelievable!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Son comportement était terrible. (Her behavior was terrible.)
- Person 2: C’est incroyable ! (That’s unbelievable!)
5. Quelle horreur !
Pronunciation: kel or-euhr
Meaning: How horrible!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: L’accident était terrible. (The accident was terrible.)
- Person 2: Quelle horreur ! (How horrible!)
6. Je suis désolé(e)
Pronunciation: juh swee day-zoh-lay
Meaning: I’m sorry.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Mon expérience au restaurant était terrible. (My experience at the restaurant was terrible.)
- Person 2: Je suis désolé. (I’m sorry.)
7. C’est fascinant
Pronunciation: say fas-ee-nahn
Meaning: That’s fascinating.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Cette histoire était terrible, mais elle a fini par bien se terminer. (This story was terrible, but it ended well.)
- Person 2: C’est fascinant. (That’s fascinating.)
8. Tant mieux
Pronunciation: tahn myeuh
Meaning: So much the better (used when “terrible” means amazing).
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Le concert était terrible ! (The concert was amazing!)
- Person 2: Tant mieux, je suis content pour toi. (So much the better, I’m happy for you.)
9. Je ne peux pas y croire
Pronunciation: juh nuh puh ee krwah-re
Meaning: I can’t believe it.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Le trafic ce matin était terrible. (The traffic this morning was terrible.)
- Person 2: Je ne peux pas y croire. (I can’t believe it.)
10. Ça me surprend
Pronunciation: sah muh soor-prahn
Meaning: That surprises me.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Le plat était terrible malgré les bonnes critiques. (The dish was terrible despite good reviews.)
- Person 2: Ça me surprend. (That surprises me.)
11. J’espère que ça ira mieux
Pronunciation: zhay-spehr kuh sah ee-rah myeuh
Meaning: I hope it gets better.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ma journée a été terrible. (My day was terrible.)
- Person 2: J’espère que ça ira mieux demain. (I hope it gets better tomorrow.)
12. Incroyable !
Pronunciation: an-kroh-yah-bluh
Meaning: Unbelievable! (Positive or negative depending on tone)
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: La performance était terrible ! (The performance was amazing!)
- Person 2: Incroyable ! Vous avez de la chance ! (Unbelievable! You’re so lucky!)
13. C’est triste à entendre
Pronunciation: say treest ah ahn-tan-druh
Meaning: That’s sad to hear.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Les nouvelles sont terribles. (The news is terrible.)
- Person 2: C’est triste à entendre. (That’s sad to hear.)
14. Quelle surprise !
Pronunciation: kel soor-preez
Meaning: What a surprise!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ce film était terrible, mais tout le monde l’a aimé. (This movie was terrible, but everyone loved it.)
- Person 2: Quelle surprise ! (What a surprise!)
15. Oh, c’est malheureux
Pronunciation: oh, say mahl-uhr-euh
Meaning: Oh, that’s unfortunate.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Mon vol a été annulé, c’était terrible. (My flight was canceled, it was terrible.)
- Person 2: Oh, c’est malheureux. (Oh, that’s unfortunate.)
Exercise to Practice “Terrible” in French
Below are 12 fill-in-the-blank sentences using ways to say “terrible” in French. Each sentence is written entirely in French with an English translation provided. After completing the exercise, the answers are listed below.
Fill-in-the-Blank Sentences
- La situation économique actuelle est ________.
- Ce repas était ________ et immangeable.
- L’accident sur la route ce matin était vraiment ________.
- Les conditions météorologiques étaient ________, avec des vents forts et de la grêle.
- Le comportement de cet élève est totalement ________.
- Le film que j’ai vu hier soir était ________ ; je ne le recommande pas.
- Son erreur était ________, et elle a causé beaucoup de problèmes.
- Ce bâtiment est dans un état ________, il doit être réparé.
- Les résultats des tests étaient ________, personne n’a réussi.
- La chaleur cet été a été ________, presque insupportable.
- C’est ________ de voir une telle injustice dans le monde.
- Cette décision politique est ________ et causera beaucoup de dégâts.
Answers
- La situation économique actuelle est catastrophique.
Translation: The current economic situation is catastrophic. - Ce repas était dégueulasse et immangeable.
Translation: This meal was disgusting and inedible. - L’accident sur la route ce matin était vraiment effroyable.
Translation: The accident on the road this morning was truly horrifying. - Les conditions météorologiques étaient atroces, avec des vents forts et de la grêle.
Translation: The weather conditions were atrocious, with strong winds and hail. - Le comportement de cet élève est totalement inacceptable.
Translation: The behavior of this student is completely unacceptable. - Le film que j’ai vu hier soir était lamentable ; je ne le recommande pas.
Translation: The movie I saw last night was pathetic; I don’t recommend it. - Son erreur était désastreuse, et elle a causé beaucoup de problèmes.
Translation: His mistake was disastrous and caused many problems. - Ce bâtiment est dans un état délabré, il doit être réparé.
Translation: This building is in a dilapidated state; it must be repaired. - Les résultats des tests étaient navrants, personne n’a réussi.
Translation: The test results were heartbreaking; no one passed. - La chaleur cet été a été insupportable, presque insupportable.
Translation: The heat this summer was unbearable, almost intolerable. - C’est horrible de voir une telle injustice dans le monde.
Translation: It’s horrible to see such injustice in the world. - Cette décision politique est déplorable et causera beaucoup de dégâts.
Translation: This political decision is deplorable and will cause much damage.
Conclusion
Learning how to say “terrible” in French and understanding its different uses is important for expressing both positive and negative emotions effectively. Whether you’re describing a bad situation, expressing sympathy, or even using the term in its casual, positive sense, mastering this word can help you connect more naturally with French speakers.
Remember to practice the various phrases and responses in real-life scenarios to build confidence. By knowing these words and how to use them, you’ll not only improve your vocabulary but also sound more fluent and adaptable in your conversations. Keep practicing, and soon using “terrible” in French will feel as easy as saying it in English!