très
/tʁɛ/
The English word 'very' is translated into French as très.
très is the most common and versatile word for 'very' in French. It is used to indicate that something exists to a high degree. While très is standard, you can use extrêmement to denote a greater intensity than très.
Meaning: to a high degree (adv)
Which one should you use?
While très means 'very', the word trop translates to 'too' in English. Although trop can sometimes be used informally to express intensity, it specifically carries the meaning of 'too much'. Furthermore, do not use très with adjectives that already imply a high degree, such as 'excellent' or 'parfait'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adverb très is invariable, meaning it does not change its form to agree with the gender or number of the adjective it modifies.
How do you pronounce it?
/tʁɛ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use très to mean 'too' (for example, saying très chaud when they mean 'too hot'). You should use trop instead.
Did you know?
- The word très is a doublet of the prefix trans-, meaning they share the same ancient root despite having completely different meanings today.
- To emphasize très even further, French speakers sometimes use the phrase très très for rhythmic effect, which is more common than using extrêmement in speech.
- To add even more weight than très, you can use the phrase vraiment, which shifts the tone from a simple degree to a sense of truth or sincerity.
Examples in context
- Tu es très vif.You're very sharp.This sentence demonstrates the use of très with the word 'vif'.Tatoeba #2227132 by sacredceltic, translation #2218498 by CK
- Tu es très bon.You're very good.This sentence demonstrates the use of très with the word 'bon'.Tatoeba #2227225 by sacredceltic, translation #2218489 by CK
- Tu es très sexy.You're very sexy.This sentence demonstrates the use of très with the word 'sexy'.Tatoeba #790512 by U2FS, translation #688020 by lukaszpp
- Elle est très gentille.She is very kind.
- Cette soirée était extrêmement amusante.That evening was extremely fun.
- Ils sont vraiment talentueux.They are really talented.
- Ce film était super génial.This film was super awesome.
- Il est vachement drôle.He is really funny.
- 5698 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Manon are talking about a movie they just saw.
- GabrielLe film était très long.The movie was very long.
- ManonOui, mais c'était très intéressant.Yes, but it was very interesting.
- GabrielJe suis très d'accord avec toi.I very much agree with you.
- ManonC'est très gentil, Gabriel.That is very kind, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “very” translations and entries très, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries très, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
