ennuyer
/ɑ̃.nɥi.je/
To bore is to say ennuyer in French. Wiktionary also lists barber.
Meaning: to inspire boredom (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| ennuyer | /ɑ̃.nɥi.je/ |
| barber | /baʁ.be/ |
Depending on the context, ennuyer can mean both 'to bore' and 'to annoy'. If you want to describe something that is not exciting or captivating, you can use the phrase pas passionnant(e).
Which one should you use?
The forms provided are ennuyer and barber.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that you are feeling bored, you use the reflexive form s'ennuyer rather than the transitive ennuyer.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɑ̃.nɥi.je/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying je suis ennuyé to mean 'I am bored'. This actually means 'I am annoyed/troubled'. To say 'I am bored', use je m'ennuie.
Did you know?
- The word ennuyer is a direct descendant of the Late Latin inodiāre, which originally meant 'to make hateful' or 'to cause hatred'.
- The verb barber is an odd linguistic evolution from the Old French word for 'to shave'.
- The French often use the word ennui as a noun to describe a heavy, existential state of boredom or even a sense of melancholy. It is a much more profound and heavy concept than the simple English 'boredom'.
Examples in context
- Tu commences à m'ennuyer.You're starting to bore me.This sentence shows how someone can start to bore another person using ennuyer.Tatoeba #5791932 by Aiji, translation #3358948 by CK
- Je ne vais pas t'ennuyer avec les détails.I won't bore you with the details.This sentence uses ennuyer to explain not wanting to bore someone with too much detail.Tatoeba #1476830 by sacredceltic, translation #1473600 by darinmex
- Je pourrais continuer, mais je ne veux pas t'ennuyer.I could go on, but I don't want to bore you.This sentence uses ennuyer to show a desire not to bore the listener.Tatoeba #11426736 by lbdx, translation #10200840 by DJ_Saidez
- Je m'ennuie, c'est vraiment ennuyant!I'm bored, it's really boring!
- Je suis ennuyé(e) par cette conférence interminable.I am bored by this never-ending conference.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are at a long, dull lecture.
- ChloéCe cours va nous ennuyer toute l'après-midi.This course is going to bore us all afternoon.
- GabrielOui, c'est vraiment très monotone.Yes, it is really very monotonous.
- ChloéTu as l'air de t'ennuyer aussi.You look bored too.
- GabrielJe n'en peux plus de l'écouter.I can't stand listening to him anymore.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bore” translations and entries ennuyer, barber, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries barber, ennuyer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
