inertie
/i.nɛʁ.si/
The English word inertia is translated into French as inertie.
The word inertie is used in both physics (mass/resistance to motion) and figuratively to describe a lack of movement or psychological resistance to change.
Meaning: unwillingness to take action (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Because inertie starts with a vowel, the definite article 'la' is elided to 'l’' in the phrase 'l'inertie'.
How do you pronounce it?
/i.nɛʁ.si/
Did you know?
- The French word inertie shares a common ancestor with the English word 'art', both stemming from the Latin 'ars' which refers to skill or craft.
- In French political discourse, inertie is often used specifically to criticize a government's failure to react to a crisis, turning a physics term into a sharp political weapon.
- Because it describes a state of stasis, inertie is often contrasted in French literature with élan, a word for a sudden burst of energy or spiritual momentum.
Examples in context
- Ne sous-estimez jamais le pouvoir de l'inertie.Never underestimate the power of inertia.Tatoeba #11816237 by calypsow, translation #5905788 by Hybrid
- L'inertie thermique du matériau le rend parfait pour isoler les bâtiments.The thermal inertia of the material makes it perfect for insulating buildings.
- Son attitude révèle une certaine réticence au changement, une forme d'inertie.His attitude reveals a certain resistance to change, a form of inertia.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing why a colleague hasn't started a new project.
- ManonPourquoi n'a-t-il pas encore commencé ?Why hasn't he started yet?
- HugoIl souffre d'une certaine inertie en ce moment.He is suffering from a certain inertia right now.
- ManonC'est dommage pour lui.That is a shame for him.
- HugoOui, il doit se réveiller.Yes, he needs to wake up.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry inertie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries inertie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
