Have you ever wondered how to describe yourself in French? Look no further! In this post, we’ll explore the art of describing physical traits in French, from useful verbs to expressive adjectives.
Especially when talking about others, be sure to keep cultural and societal conventions in mind when describing physical appearances. Typically, French-speaking cultures place emphasis on politeness and respect, so using subtle language and focusing on positive attributes is sure to go a long way!
From describing the protagonist in your favorite movie to crafting a social media profile, this post will provide plenty of options for describing physical appearance in French.
Verbs used to describe physical appearance in French
Before diving into French words to describe someone, let’s take a moment to talk about the syntax of how to describe someone in French. There are a few important verbs to know so that your sentences are logical and grammatically correct. The most common verbs used to describe someone in French are être (to have) and avoir (to be).
Être is used with adjectives to express physical traits or characteristics. The conjugation of être is irregular.
- Il est grand. – He is tall.
Avoir is used with nouns to describe features that someone possesses. The conjugation of avoir is also irregular.
- Elles ont les cheveux blonds. – They have blond hair.
Other common verbs used to describe physical appearance in French include paraître (to appear) and ressembler (to resemble).
Paraître is used with adjectives to express how someone looks or seems, especially in reference to a state of being like an emotion. If you’re looking for variety, synonyms for paraître include sembler (to seem) and avoir l’air (to look, to seem).
- Vous paraissez fatigué. – You appear tired.
- Vous avez l’air fatigué. – You look tired. – You seem tired.
Ressembler is used with nouns to compare physical similarities between people.
- Tu ressembles à ta mère. – You resemble your mother. – You look like your mother.
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Questions
When asking what someone looks like in French, you can use the questions below. Keep in mind that the subject and verb will change depending on who you’re talking to or about!
- Il / Elle est comment ? – What is he / she like?
- À quoi ressemble-t-il / -elle ? – What does he / she look like?
- Peux-tu me décrire son apparence ? – Can you describe his / her appearance to me?
- Comment le / la décrirais-tu ? – How would you describe him / her?
Age
To describe someone’s exact age in French, use the verb avoir (to have), plus the number, and the word ans.
- J’ai trente ans. – I am thirty years old. (literally: I have thirty years.)
For a more general description of someone’s age, use the verb être along with one of the following adjectives. Where there are feminine versions of the adjectives, they’re noted in parentheses.
| ancient | ancien(ne) |
| aged | âgé(e) |
| old | vieux (vieille) |
| of a certain age | d’un certain âge |
| adult | adulte |
| young adult | jeune adulte |
| adolescent | adolescent(e) |
| young | jeune |
- Mon professeur est ancien ! – My professor is ancient!
- Tu es encore jeune. – You’re still young.
Gender
To describe a person’s gender in French, use être along with one of the following nouns.
| a man | un homme |
| a woman | une femme |
| a boy | un garçon |
| a girl | une fille |
| a nonbinary person | une personne non-binaire |
- Elle est une femme. – She is a woman.
- L’acteur est un garçon. – The actor is a boy.
Body shape
You can describe many things about a person’s body shape in French, from height to physique. These adjectives are used with the verb être.
| tall | grand(e) |
| average height | de taille moyenne |
| short | petit(e) |
| slim | mince |
| skinny | maigre |
| lanky | allongé(e) |
| athletic | athlétique |
| muscular | musclé(e) |
| strong | fort(e) |
| heavyset | costaud(e) |
| fat | gros(se) |
| obese | obèse |
- Il est vraiment grand, presque deux mètres. – He is really tall, almost two meters.
- L’haltérophile était très musclée. – The weightlifter was very muscular.
- Le vétérinaire m’a dit que mon chat est gros. – The veterinarian told me that my cat is fat.
Hair
When describing someone’s hair color (or lack of hair), certain adjectives can be used with être in French. These adjectives must agree with the gender and number of the subject.
| blond | blond(e) |
| brunette | brun(e) |
| redheaded | roux (rousse) |
| bald | chauve |
- Elle est rousse. – She is redheaded.
- Ils sont chauves. – They are bald.
However, most ways to describe someone’s hair color, length, curliness, etc. are used with the verb avoir in French. These adjectives will need to be masculine plural to agree with the masculine plural word for hair: les cheveux. We also covered some of these in our post on colors in French.
| blond hair | les cheveux blonds |
| brown hair | les cheveux bruns, les cheveux marrons |
| black hair | les cheveux noirs |
| red hair | les cheveux roux |
| gray hair | les cheveux gris |
| white hair | les cheveux noirs |
| long hair | les cheveux longs |
| short hair | les cheveux courts |
| curly hair | les cheveux bouclés |
| frizzy hair | les cheveux frisés |
| straight hair | les cheveux raides |
- J’ai les cheveux courts pour me donner une allure plus moderne. – I have short hair to give myself a more modern look.
- Nous avons les cheveux bruns avec des reflets châtains. – We have brown hair with chestnut highlights.
Note that this section is only about the hair on someone’s head. In French, body hair has its own word: poil. The adjective for hairy is poilu(e), whether we’re describing someone’s body, an animal, or even a teddy bear or a blanket. To say that someone has a lot of hair on their head, the adjective is chevelu(e).
Skin
Describing skin color requires sensitivity and cultural awareness. To respectfully describe someone’s skin color in French, you can use one of the terms below. Keep in mind that context matters, and it’s always a good idea to use terminology preferred by the person or people you’re talking to or about.
| pale skin | la peau pâle |
| white skin | la peau blanche |
| brown skin | la peau brune |
| black skin | la peau noire |
| mixed race | métis(se) |
| Asian | asiatique |
| Indian | indien(ne) |
| Native American | amérindien(ne) |
| Arabic | arabe |
| Latino, Latina | latino, latine |
| Middle Eastern | moyen-oriental(e) |
Linguistically, words used to describe someone’s race or heritage in French are only capitalized when used as a noun. When used as an adjective, these words are not capitalized.
- Elle vient d’une famille asiatique. – She comes from an Asian family.
- Elle est Asiatique. – She is Asian.
To get more specific on where people are from, check out our comprehensive post listing all the countries in French.
Face
Talking about someone’s face in French can range from describing their hairline to the aesthetic effect of their unique facial feature combination. Generally speaking, these descriptions involve adjectives related to color and size. Remember your adjective placement rules! Most of these physical attributes in French are introduced with the verb avoir, while the descriptive adjectives at the end of this list follow être.
| a high forehead | un grand front |
| a small forehead | un petit front |
| thick eyebrows | des sourcils épais |
| thin eyebrows | des sourcils minces |
| big eyes | de grands yeux |
| small eyes | de petits yeux |
| blue eyes | des yeux bleus |
| brown eyes | des yeux marrons |
| green eyes | des yeux verts |
| a big nose | un grand nez |
| a small nose | un petit nez |
| big lips | de grandes lèvres |
| thin lips | des lèvres fines |
| handsome, beautiful | beau (belle) |
| pretty | joli(e) |
| cute | mignon(ne) |
| ugly | laid(e), moche |
- J’espère que notre fille aura un petit nez et des yeux bleus. – I hope that our daughter will have a small nose and blue eyes.
- La mariée était belle dans sa robe blanche en dentelle. – The bride was beautiful in her white, lacy dress.
Distinctive Characteristics
When something about someone’s physical appearance stands out to you, it can be a great way to describe them to someone else and set them apart from the crowd! These distinctive characteristics could be anything from a tattoo to facial hair.
| a tattoo | un tatouage |
| a piercing | un piercing |
| a scar | une cicatrice |
| a birthmark | une tache de naissance, une tache de vin |
| a mole | un grain de beauté |
| a wart | une verrue |
| a beard | une barbe |
| a mustache | une moustache |
| sideburns | des pattes |
| a haircut | une coupe, une coupe de cheveux |
| wrinkles | des rides, des ridules |
| makeup | le maquillage |
- L’homme a beaucoup de tatouages et aussi des pattes mémorables. – The man has a lot of tattoos and also some memorable sideburns.
- Tu as remarqué qu’il avait une cicatrice en plein milieu de son front ? – Did you notice that he had a scar right in the middle of his forehead?
Visible Disabilities
Using appropriate language when talking about people with disabilities is incredibly important. To talk about some disabilities that are visible to others in French, we can use the words below.
| to use a wheelchair | utiliser un fauteuil roulant |
| to use crutches | utiliser une béquille |
| to use a cane | utiliser une canne |
| to use a hearing aid | utiliser un appareil auditif, utiliser une prothèse auditive |
| an amputee | un amputé, une amputée |
| one-legged | unijambiste |
| blind | aveugle |
| one-eyed | borgne |
| deaf | sourd(e) |
| lame | boiteux (boiteuse) |
| mute | muet(te) |
- Elle peut se déplacer aisément en utilisant son fauteuil roulant. – She can move around easily using her wheelchair.
- Bethany Hamilton est une amputée inspirante qui a surmonté de nombreux défis. – Bethany Hamilton is an inspiring amputee who has overcome many challenges.
Conclusion
As we wrap up our post on how to describe physical traits in French, remember that language isn’t just about words – it’s about communicating and exchanging ideas. Armed with a large supply of French description words, you’re now ready to start painting detailed portraits of yourself and those around you, whether you’re describing your stylish friend, the interesting character in a novel, or even yourself in an enticing online profile.
From haircuts to skin color, we’ve explored the nuances of descriptions that celebrate diversity and individuality. And as we delved into the realm of distinctive traits and visible disabilities, we’ve learned to approach unique features with empathy and understanding.
So, as you navigate the art of describing people in French, let your descriptions reflect your appreciation for the beauty in every individual!