je suis libre
In French, 'I am free' is said as je suis libre.
The phrase je suis libre is used to state that you have no appointments or obligations and are available to do something.
Which one should you use?
While je suis libre refers to being available or having no obligations, do not use je suis gratuit to express this. In French, gratuit refers to things that cost no money and using it for a person would be nonsensical.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes mistakenly use gratuit to mean 'free' in the sense of time. However, gratuit only refers to things that cost no money. Use je suis libre instead.
Did you know?
- The word libre comes from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'people'. Historically, being 'free' was defined by being a member of the community rather than a slave.
- In French, using gratuit to describe a person suggests they are available for no cost, which can be interpreted as a joke or a very crude suggestion.
- If a French speaker is 'free' in the sense of not being in a relationship, they would more likely say je suis célibataire than je suis libre.
Examples in context
- Je suis libre, ce soir.I am free this evening.This sentence shows how to specify the time you are free using je suis libre.Tatoeba #2037047 by sacredceltic, translation #2036417 by smarisbird
- Mercredi je suis libre.Wednesday I am free.This sentence demonstrates stating which day you are free using je suis libre.Tatoeba #6379055 by felix63, translation #6736513 by Eccles17
- Je sens que je suis libre.I feel that I am free.This sentence uses je suis libre to express a feeling of freedom.Tatoeba #3975 by TRANG, translation #2158 by Dejo
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan is asking Chloé if she wants to go to the cinema.
- ChloéNathan, tu veux aller au cinéma ?Nathan, do you want to go to the cinema?
- NathanOui, je suis libre demain après-midi.Yes, I am free tomorrow afternoon.
- ChloéC'est parfait, je suis libre aussi.That is perfect, I am free too.
- NathanSuper, on se voit demain !Great, see you tomorrow!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, libre, suis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
