French Fear Vocabulary 😨

Author: Eliane

Learn the French fear vocabulary: French fear expressions, French verbs to express fear in French and how to say wimp in French.

Let’s learn the French vocabulary associated with fear.

How to Say “Fear” in French

Here are French nouns expressing feelings of “fear” from the slightest fear to the strongest fear:

  1. L’inquiétude (f) : worry
  2. La crainte : fear
  3. La frayeur : fright
  4. L’angoisse : anxiety/fear
  5. La peur : fear (the most commonly used noun)
  6. La panique : panic
  7. L’effroi (m) : dread
  8. La terreur : terror
  9. L’épouvante : horror

8 French Fear Verbs

  1. S’inquiéter : to worry
  2. Craindre : to be afraid of (…)
  3. Redouter : to fear
  4. Avoir peur : to be scared
  5. Faire peur à quelqu’un : to scare someone
  6. S’angoisser : to get distressed
  7. Trembler : to tremble
  8. Frissonner : to shudder

Now for a fun French comprehension practice, I invite you to read my French short story about a French haunted house. As most of the 150 French stories available for free on French Today, my story comes with a “hide and reveal” English translation option.

6 French Nicknames Given to People Who are Easily Afraid

All these names for easily frighten people are a bit derogative of course…

  1. Une poule mouillée : a wimp
  2. Un trouillard : a chicken
  3. Un peureux : a fearful person
  4. Un pétochard : a coward
  5. Un dégonflé : a wimp
  6. Un froussard : a wuss

11 French Fear Expressions

Let’s see some French expressions to express fear in French.

  1. Être mort de peur : to be scared to death
  2. Avoir la chair de poule : to have goosebumps
  3. Claquer des dents : to chatter your teeth
  4. Avoir la phobie de quelque chose : to have a phobia of something
  5. Avoir la pétoche : to be scared stiff (colloquial)
  6. Avoir la trouille : to be in a blue funk (colloquial)
  7. Avoir la frousse : to be scared stiff (colloquial)
  8. À vous glacer le sang : bloodcurdling
  9. Trembler comme une feuille : to shake like a leaf
  10. Avoir une peur bleue de : to be terrified of
  11. Avoir le trouillomètre à zéro : to be scared shitless (colloquial)

Moi… j’ai la trouille des araignées… Et vous ? De quoi avez-vous peur ? Dites-le moi dans les commentaires ci-dessous !
As for me, I’m scared of spiders… What about you? What are you scared of? Tell me in the comments below!

Author: Eliane

Eliane

Bonjour, my name is Eliane and I'd love to welcome you for a French immersion homestay near Carcassone.

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