ennemi
/ɛn.mi/masculine
The French word for enemy is ennemi.
The word refers to someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of or intends injury to another person.
Meaning: someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of, or intends injury to someone else (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun changes based on gender and number. The masculine singular is ennemi, while the feminine singular is spelled with an extra 'e' at the end: ennemie. To form the masculine plural, add an 's' to the masculine singular form to get ennemis. The feminine plural is created by adding an 's' to the feminine singular form, resulting in ennemies.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables: /ɛn.mi/.
When do people say it?
To express the concept of an 'archenemy', you can use the expression ennemi juré.
Did you know?
- The Latin ancestor 'inimicus' shows that the word is built from 'in-' meaning 'not' and 'amicus' meaning 'friend', literally defining an enemy as a 'non-friend'.
- In French, an 'archenemy' is described as an ennemi juré, which literally translates to an 'oath-bound enemy'.
- In French, you can refer to a natural predator as l'ennemi naturel, treating a biological instinct as a conscious rivalry.
Examples in context
- Tu es mon ennemi.You're my enemy.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is your enemy.Tatoeba #3846150 by Micsmithel, translation #2549405 by CK
- Es-tu mon ennemi ?Are you my enemy?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is your enemy.Tatoeba #8703257 by Julien_PDC, translation #2648863 by CK
- Tom est mon ennemi.Tom is my enemy.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific person as an enemy.Tatoeba #2354952 by Amastan, translation #2273302 by CK
- Le chef de l'armée a identifié les ennemis du pays.The army chief identified the enemies of the country.
- Le diplomate a négocié avec l'ennemi pour trouver une solution pacifique.The diplomat negotiated with the enemy to find a peaceful solution.
- Jean et Marc sont devenus de grands adversaires sur le terrain de football.Jean and Marc have become great adversaries on the football field.
- J'ai dû faire face à plusieurs adversaires dans ma carrière professionnelle.I had to face several adversaries in my professional career.
- 248 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are discussing a historical novel they are reading.
- GabrielL'ennemi est très puissant dans cette histoire.The enemy is very powerful in this story.
- EmmaOui, il est l'ennemi principal du héros.Yes, he is the protagonist's main enemy.
- GabrielEmma, penses-tu qu'il va gagner ?Emma, do you think he will win?
- EmmaJe ne pense pas que l'ennemi réussira.I don't think the enemy will succeed.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “enemy” translations and entries ennemi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ennemi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
