inconscient
/ɛ̃.kɔ̃.sjɑ̃/
The English word 'unconscious' is translated into French as inconscient.
The primary meaning of inconscient is to describe someone who is not awake. You can also use the related words subconscient or inconscient to refer to the part of the mind that is not consciously perceived. To describe the act of fainting or losing consciousness, the common idiomatic phrase is perdre connaissance.
Meaning: not awake (adj)
Which one should you use?
Note that inconscient can mean both physically 'unconscious' and behaviorally 'reckless' or 'irresponsible'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective has a feminine form, inconsciente.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and is pronounced /ɛ̃.kɔ̃.sjɑ̃/.
Did you know?
- In casual French, calling someone un inconscient as a noun can be a compliment among extreme sports athletes, implying they have the guts to do something dangerous.
- The word inconscient shares a root with the English word 'conscience'. In French, conscience refers to both the moral 'conscience' and the physical state of 'consciousness'.
- While English uses 'unconscious' for both the state and the psychological concept, French speakers often prefer l'inconscient (with a masculine article) to refer to the Freudian 'unconscious' as a noun.
Examples in context
- Will est toujours inconscient.Will is still unconscious.This sentence uses the adjective inconscient to describe a state of being unconscious.Tatoeba #9032247 by Equilingual, translation #9032022 by shekitten
- Elle tomba au sol, inconsciente.She fell unconscious to the floor.This sentence uses the adjective inconsciente to describe a female subject who is unconscious.Tatoeba #3445363 by sacredceltic, translation #3444752 by patgfisher
- Il fut emmené inconscient à l'hôpital.He was taken unconscious to the hospital.This sentence uses the adjective inconscient to describe a male subject being taken to the hospital while unconscious.Tatoeba #1529358 by sacredceltic, translation #1528590 by erikspen
- Le patient est inconscient depuis son admission à l'hôpital.The patient has been unconscious since admission to the hospital.
- Le témoin a été plongé dans l'inconscience après avoir été frappé à la tête.The witness was plunged into unconsciousness after being hit on the head.
- Quand elle a vu l'araignée, elle est tombée dans les pommes et est restée évanouie pendant quelques minutes.When she saw the spider, she fainted and remained unconscious for a few minutes.
- Après le coup, il était K.O. et ne pouvait plus se relever.After the hit, he was knocked out and couldn't get back up.
- Après la soirée, il avait trop bu et semblait dans les vapes.After the party, he had drunk too much and appeared out of it.
- 34 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon finds Nathan lying on the floor after a fall.
- ManonNathan ! Est-ce que tu m'entends ?Nathan! Can you hear me?
- Nathan……
- ManonIl est inconscient, je dois appeler les secours.He is unconscious, I have to call emergency services.
- NathanJe me réveille… qu'est-ce qui se passe ?I'm waking up… what's happening?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “unconscious” translations and entries inconscient, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
