Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| embarrassant | /ɑ̃.ba.ʁa.sɑ̃/ |
| gênant | /ʒɛ.nɑ̃/ /ʒe.nɑ̃/ |
Both words describe something that causes embarrassment, such as a situation, a question or a moment.
Which one should you use?
gênant is much more common in casual speech and often means awkward or uncomfortable. embarrassant sounds a little more neutral. The expression Mettre dans l'embarras is a formal way to say put someone in an embarrassing situation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, malaisant(e) may be used instead of gênant.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both adjectives agree with the noun they describe. With a feminine noun they become embarrassante and gênante.
How do you pronounce it?
embarrassant is pronounced /ɑ̃.ba.ʁa.sɑ̃/, in four syllables, with a nasal vowel at the start and at the end.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mix up embarrassant with embarrassé. Use embarrassant for the thing that causes embarrassment and embarrassé for the person who feels it.
Did you know?
- While gênant refers to embarrassment, its root verb gêner literally means 'to hinder' or 'to obstruct'. In French, an embarrassing situation is conceptually seen as something that blocks or restricts your freedom of movement.
- Young people in France have adopted the word malaisant to capture the specific feeling of 'cringe'. This term focuses on the visceral discomfort of a situation rather than just the social embarrassment.
- While gênant is used for embarrassment, it can also describe a physical object that is 'cumbersome' or 'bothersome'. A tight pair of shoes and a social blunder can both be gênant.
Examples in context
- C'est un peu gênant.This is kind of embarrassing.gênant here describes an awkward situation in a casual way.Tatoeba #3443677 by felix63, translation #3442596 by Hybrid
- Comme c'est embarrassant !How embarrassing!Comme c'est embarrassant ! is a natural exclamation for how embarrassing.Tatoeba #4289374 by sak_sm, translation #277273 by CK
- C'est un peu embarrassant.This is a bit embarrassing.The phrase un peu softens embarrassant to mean a bit embarrassing.Tatoeba #5955765 by Aiji, translation #4381982 by Hybrid
- C'est vraiment gênantIt's really embarrassing
- La situation est très incommodanteThe situation is very embarrassing
- Il m'a mis dans l'embarrasHe put me in an embarrassing situation
- 39 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Léa are talking about a mistake Lucas made at a party.
- LucasJ'ai bégayé pendant mon discours.I stuttered during my speech.
- LéaC'était un peu embarrassant, mais ce n'est pas grave.It was a bit embarrassing, but it is not a big deal.
- LucasJe me sens très mal.I feel very bad.
- LéaNe t'inquiète pas, Lucas.Don't worry, Lucas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “embarrassing” translations and entries embarrassant, gênant, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
