Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| humide | /y.mid/ |
| mouillé | /mu.je/ |
The term humide describes a state of being slightly wet. Depending on the specific sensation you want to convey, other words might be more precise: moite suggests a damp or moist atmosphere, while lourd is used informally to describe the heavy feeling in the air caused by high humidity. If you want to describe a sticky and muggy feeling colloquially, you can use poisseux.
Which one should you use?
Use mouillé when referring to objects that are physically wet, such as clothes or a floor. In contrast, use humide to describe atmospheric moisture or a general slight dampness.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the French Caribbean, the word collant is used to describe the humid and sticky climate.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective humide is invariable in gender, so it remains the same whether it is describing a masculine or feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word humide is pronounced /y.mid/ and consists of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- While 'humid' in English is neutral, describing a person as moite in French can carry a negative or even erotic connotation of sweating.
- To describe a humidity so thick it feels like it is sticking to your skin, the colloquial term poisseux is used.
- The word humide is a cognate of the English 'humus', referring to the organic component of soil that stays moist.
Examples in context
- C'est très humide, non ?It's very humid, isn't it?This sentence is useful for asking for confirmation about high humidity levels.Tatoeba #8418497 by Aiji, translation #3368809 by AlanF_US
- Oui. L'air est très humide.Yes. The air is very humid.This sentence is useful for confirming that the air is very humid.Tatoeba #1115550 by sacredceltic, translation #4308840 by monahxo
- L’air était humide et tiède.The air was humid and lukewarm.This sentence is useful for describing air that is both humid and lukewarm.Tatoeba #5774403 by Blabla, translation #5790263 by Knabacxo
- La journée était étouffante et lourdeThe day was suffocating and humid
- Je déteste les nuits moites d'étéI hate the humid summer nights
- 21 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are checking the laundry in the basement.
- HugoManon, regarde, le linge est encore humide.Manon, look, the laundry is still damp.
- ManonC'est parce que la cave est très humide.It is because the cellar is very damp.
- HugoTu as raison, l'air est lourd.You are right, the air is heavy.
- ManonOn devrait ouvrir une fenêtre.We should open a window.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “humid” translations and entries humide, mouillé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
