tête dure
stubborn
To call someone a "hard head" in French you say tête dure, meaning a stubborn person. The adjective têtu says the same thing.
Meaning: stubborn person (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| tête dure | stubborn |
| têtu | stubborn, adjective |
It is used for someone who will not change their mind, often with a smile for a child or a relative: Il est tête dure.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Cajun French shares this vocabulary with standard French, and the tone in Louisiana is usually teasing.
How does it change in a sentence?
Têtu agrees with the person, so a woman is têtue. The phrase tête dure stays the same.
Did you know?
- The English "hard head" and French tête dure use the same image, a head that does not give way.
Examples in context
- Il est tête dure, comme son père.He is a hard head, like his father.
- Ne sois pas si têtu!Do not be so stubborn!
- Elle est têtue, elle ne change jamais d'idée.She is stubborn, she never changes her mind.
Example conversation
Grandmother Mémère talks to her grandson Noé about his father at the kitchen table in Louisiana.
- NoéMémère, papa ne veut pas écouter.Grandma, Dad will not listen.
- MémèreIl est tête dure, ton père.He is a hard head, your father.
- NoéMoi aussi, je suis têtu, non?I am stubborn too, no?
- MémèreOui, cher, ça vient de la famille.Yes, dear, it runs in the family.
