By Calixte Wondje, Ph.D.
INTRODUCTION
French expressions about fear.
These expressions reflect the different degrees and nuances of fear in French!
“Avoir la peur au ventre”
– Literally “to have fear in the belly,” meaning to be very afraid or anxious.
“Avoir les chocottes”
– An informal way to say you’re scared. “Chocottes” are colloquial and refer to being nervous or frightened.
“Avoir la chair de poule”
– Literally “to have goosebumps,” meaning to feel scared, often due to fear or nervousness.
“Être pétrifié (de peur)”
– Meaning “to be petrified with fear,” referring to a state of being frozen in fear.
“Faire peur”
– Simply means “to scare” or “to frighten.” It’s often used to describe something or someone that induces fear.
“Être terrorisé(e)”
– Meaning “to be terrified,” this expresses an extreme level of fear.
“Être dans une panique noire”
– Literally “to be in a black panic,” this refers to being in a state of extreme panic or fear.
“Avoir la trouille”
– A casual way to say “to be scared” or “to be frightened.”
“Avoir les jetons”
– An informal expression meaning to be scared, literally “to have the tokens” (a reference to a game of chance where you would lose something valuable).
“Avoir les jambes en coton”
– Meaning “to have legs of cotton,” used when someone feels so afraid they can barely stand.
Please watch the video below to improve your listening and speaking French skills.
HAPPY FRENCH LEARNING!
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