maudit
/mo.di/
The English word "cursed" is translated into French as maudit.
maudit is an adjective meaning having some sort of divine harm. It can also function as a noun to refer to a person who is cursed or a "damned" person. In colloquial speech, the phrase Maudit bordel (cursed brothel) is used to convey annoyance or frustration.
Meaning: having some sort of divine harm (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of maudit changes based on the gender and number of what is being described: use maudite for feminine singular, maudits for masculine plural and maudites for feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/mo.di/
Did you know?
- The word maudit is built from the Latin roots 'mal' meaning 'bad' and 'dicere' meaning 'to speak'. This makes it a literal 'bad-saying', reflecting the act of speaking a curse aloud.
- The term poètes maudits refers to a group of 19th-century French poets, including Verlaine and Rimbaud, who lived marginalized and bohemian lives. It describes a specific literary archetype of the 'cursed artist'.
- In Quebec, maudit is frequently used as a mild swear word or an intensifier, similar to 'damn' in English. It is part of a linguistic phenomenon called 'sacres', where religious terms are used to express anger.
Examples in context
- Ce shtetl est maudit.This shtetl is cursed.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe a location as maudit.Tatoeba #10271587 by Rovo, translation #10272278 by shekitten
- Ce collier est maudit !That necklace is cursed.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe an object as maudit.Tatoeba #10269579 by Rovo, translation #10268944 by shekitten
- Cette tombe est maudite.This tomb is cursed.This sentence is useful for seeing the feminine form maudite used with a tomb.Tatoeba #6865443 by GB3, translation #6863232 by Hybrid
- Je suis mauditI am cursed
- Elle est mauditeShe is cursed
- Il a été victime d'un véritable anathèmeHe was a victim of a real curse
- Il est vraiment poissard, rien ne lui réussitHe's really unlucky, nothing goes right for him
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are exploring an old, abandoned mansion.
- HugoCe château est maudit, Manon.This castle is cursed, Manon.
- ManonTu es trop imaginatif, Hugo.You are too imaginative, Hugo.
- HugoJe sens une présence maléfique ici.I feel an evil presence here.
- ManonNe dis pas de telles choses.Don't say such things.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cursed” translations and entries maudit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries maudit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
