joie de vivre
/ʒwa d(ə) vivʁ/
The English phrase "joy of life" is translated into French as joie de vivre.
joie de vivre is used to describe a person's temperament or an atmosphere that feels vibrant and full of energy, characterized by a cheerful enjoyment of life and an exuberant spirit.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of joie (joy), de (of) and vivre (to live/life).
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒwa d(ə) vivʁ/
Did you know?
- The word vivre is a linguistic relative of the English word 'quick', dating back to when 'quick' meant 'alive' or 'living'.
- In French culture, joie de vivre is not just a mood but is often viewed as a philosophy of resilience and finding pleasure in simple things.
- In French literature, the concept of joie de vivre is frequently contrasted with ennui, a specific kind of existential boredom or listlessness.
Examples in context
- respirer la joie de vivreTo breathe the joy of lifeThis sentence is useful for showing how to use the phrase with the verb respirer.
- La merveilleuse joie de vivre qui illumine ma vieThe wonderful joy of life that illuminates my life
- Je suis tellement heureux! J'ai retrouvé la joie de vivre après mes dernières vacances.I am so happy! I rediscovered the joy of life after my recent vacation.
- Elle possède une véritable joie de vivre.She possesses a true joy of life.
- Sa joie de vivre est communicative.His joy of life is infectious.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a person they recently met.
- LéaTu as rencontré la nouvelle voisine ?Have you met the new neighbor?
- NathanOui, elle a une incroyable joie de vivre !Yes, she has an incredible joy of life!
- LéaC'est agréable de voir quelqu'un d'aussi positif.It is nice to see someone so positive.
- NathanAbsolument, elle illumine tout le quartier.Absolutely, she brightens up the whole neighborhood.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry joie de vivre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
