prétentieux
/pʁe.tɑ̃.sjø/
In French, the English word cocky is translated as prétentieux.
Meaning: overly confident (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe a female, use the feminine form prétentieuse. For masculine plural or general plural usage, the form remains prétentieux.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables and is pronounced /pʁe.tɑ̃.sjø/.
Did you know?
- French speakers often use the phrase avoir les chevilles qui enflent to describe a cocky person, meaning their 'ankles are swelling' from pride.
- In French, a person who is cocky can be called a m'as-tu-vu, which literally translates to 'have you seen me'.
- In French, someone who is prétentieux is often described as having le nez en l'air, which literally means having 'the nose in the air'.
Examples in context
- Il est vraiment très prétentieux.He is really very cocky.
- Ne sois pas si prétentieux avec elle.Don't be so cocky with her.
- Ce nouveau collègue me semble prétentieux.This new colleague seems cocky to me.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are discussing a new acquaintance at a party.
- LéaTu as parlé avec le nouveau venu ?Did you speak with the newcomer?
- NathanOui, mais il est un peu prétentieux.Yes, but he is a bit cocky.
- LéaC'est vrai, il parle beaucoup de lui.It's true, he talks about himself a lot.
- NathanExactement, il est trop sûr de lui.Exactly, he is too full of himself.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry prétentieux, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
