How to Describe Personality in French: 'Il est extraverti' and 'Elle est un peu timide'
Learn elementary French adjectives and sentence patterns for describing character, comparing people's personalities, and contrasting them with physical descriptions.
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French uses a different set of adjectives for personality than for physical appearance, and the two often follow different word-order rules. In this lesson you will learn how to say that someone is outgoing or a bit shy, how to compare two people's characters, and how to avoid confusing 'il est' (he is) with 'c'est' (he is, as a general comment). All examples use standard contemporary French, with notes on common alternatives.
By the end, you can…
- describe someone's personality in French using common adjectives such as extraverti, timide, sympa and sérieux.
- compare two people's characters using plus and moins.
- distinguish personality descriptions from physical descriptions in French.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Il est extraverti.
He's outgoing.
eel eh ek-strah-vehr-tee
Use il est + adjective for a specific male person. Feminine: Elle est extravertie (ell eh ek-strah-vehr-tee).
Elle est un peu timide.
She's a bit shy.
ell eh uhn puh tee-meed
Un peu softens the adjective. Timide is the same form for masculine and feminine.
Il est plus sociable que son frère.
He's more sociable than his brother.
eel eh plew soh-see-ahbl kuh son frehr
Plus ... que means 'more ... than'. Que becomes qu' before a vowel: qu'Antoine.
Elle est moins bavarde que moi.
She's less talkative than me.
ell eh mwan bah-vard kuh mwah
Moins ... que means 'less ... than'. Bavarde is the feminine form of bavard.
C'est quelqu'un de très gentil.
He's/She's a very kind person.
seh kel-kuhn duh treh zhahn-tee
C'est quelqu'un de + adjective is a common way to describe character without specifying gender.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
For personality, French normally uses il est / elle est + adjective: Il est drôle ('He's funny'), Elle est sérieuse ('She's serious'). Adjectives must agree in gender and number: extraverti / extravertie / extravertis / extraverties. Some adjectives ending in -e, like timide and sociable, do not change in the feminine. To compare, use plus ... que ('more ... than') or moins ... que ('less ... than'): Elle est plus patiente que lui ('She's more patient than him').
When to use it
Use il est / elle est when you name or point to a specific person: Mon collègue? Il est très calme. Use c'est + noun when you classify someone: C'est un ami. Use c'est quelqu'un de + adjective for a general character comment: C'est quelqu'un de généreux. Physical descriptions often use avoir for temporary states: Il a les cheveux bruns ('He has brown hair'), but personality uses être, not avoir.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Tu connais mon nouveau voisin ?
Do you know my new neighbour?tew koh-neh mohn noo-voh vwah-zanOui, il est très extraverti, non ?
Yes, he's very outgoing, isn't he?wee eel eh treh ek-strah-vehr-tee nohnExact. Sa sœur est un peu timide, par contre.
Exactly. His sister is a bit shy, though.eg-zakt sah sur eh uhn puh tee-meed par kohntrAh bon ? Elle est moins bavarde que lui, alors.
Really? She's less talkative than him, then.ah bohn ell eh mwan bah-vard kuh lwee ah-lorA little context goes a long way
In France, commenting on someone's personality is common among friends, but calling a colleague timide or bavard can sound judgmental in a formal workplace. Softer phrases like Il est plutôt réservé ('He's rather reserved') or Elle est assez discrète ('She's quite discreet') are safer in professional contexts. In Quebec, sympathique is often shortened to sympa in speech, and the adjective is used more freely in work settings.
One thing to watch for
Il a extraverti.
Try this instead: Personality uses être, not avoir. Say Il est extraverti ('He's outgoing'). Avoir is for physical features or temporary states: Il a les yeux bleus ('He has blue eyes'), Il a faim ('He's hungry').
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'She's very outgoing' about a female friend?
Show a sample answer
Elle est très extravertie.
Elle est + feminine adjective. Extravertie adds -e for feminine agreement. Elle est très sociable is also correct if you mean 'sociable' rather than 'outgoing'.
2Translate: 'He's less shy than his cousin.'
Show a sample answer
Il est moins timide que son cousin.
Moins ... que expresses 'less ... than'. Timide stays the same in the masculine and feminine. Son cousin could also be sa cousine if the cousin is female.
3Which sentence describes character rather than physical appearance: Il est grand or Il est gentil?
Show a sample answer
Il est gentil.
Gentil ('kind') describes character. Grand can describe height (physical) or, informally, importance; in this pair it is the physical description. Context decides.
Use il est / elle est + adjective for personality, make the adjective agree in gender, and compare with plus ... que or moins ... que. Keep être for character and avoir for physical features.
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