dérangé
/de.ʁɑ̃.ʒe/
The English word "disturbed" can be translated into French as dérangé.
When used as an adjective to describe a person's mental state, dérangé refers to someone showing symptoms of mental illness, severe psychosis or neurosis. Note that using this term to describe a person can carry a strong social stigma and is often perceived as more blunt or derogatory than clinical terminology.
Meaning: showing symptoms of mental illness, severe psychosis, or neurosis (adj)
Which one should you use?
While dérangé is used to describe a mental health state, it is also the past participle of the verb déranger, which means to disturb or bother someone's peace or concentration.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, dérangé must agree in gender and number with the person or people being described. Use dérangée for a feminine subject, dérangés for a masculine plural subject and dérangées for a feminine plural subject.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables: /de.ʁɑ̃.ʒe/.
Did you know?
- The word dérangé shares a root with the English word 'arrange'. In French, ranger means to tidy up, so dérangé literally describes someone who is 'un-tidied' in the head.
- The verb déranger is frequently used in the polite phrase Est-ce que je vous dérange ?, which is the standard way to ask 'Am I bothering you?' before starting a conversation.
- French has a specific nuance where être dérangé can mean being physically displaced or moved out of place, not just mentally disturbed or annoyed.
Examples in context
- Tom a l'air dérangé.Tom looks disturbed.This sentence is useful for showing how to use dérangé to describe a person's appearance of being disturbed.Tatoeba #9402764 by Micsmithel, translation #2237235 by CK
- Désolée de vous avoir dérangé.Sorry to have disturbed you.This sentence uses dérangé as a past participle meaning to have bothered or disturbed someone.Tatoeba #11656338 by Aiji, translation #4880014 by CK
- Je ne voulais pas être dérangé.I didn't want to be disturbed.This sentence uses dérangé as a past participle meaning to be disturbed or bothered.Tatoeba #8755978 by Aiji, translation #3732275 by CK
- Je suis profondément perturbé(e) par les événements récents.I am deeply disturbed by the recent events.
- Veuillez m'excuser, mais je me sens dérangé(e) par le bruit.Please excuse me, but I feel disturbed by the noise.
- Le récent accident m'a profondément troublé(e).The recent accident has deeply disturbed me.
- Cette nouvelle m'a vraiment chamboulé(e).This news really disturbed me.
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are discussing a strange person they saw.
- EmmaCet homme a l'air complètement dérangé.That man looks completely disturbed.
- NathanOui, il parlait tout seul dans la rue.Yes, he was talking to himself in the street.
- EmmaC'est inquiétant, il semble vraiment dérangé.It's worrying, he seems really disturbed.
- NathanOn devrait peut-être appeler des secours.Maybe we should call for help.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry dérangé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
