violent
/vjɔ.lɑ̃/
The English word violent is translated into French as violent.
violent is an adjective used to describe something involving physical conflict. In informal contexts, it can also be used to focus on intensity rather than severity.
Meaning: involving physical conflict (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes its form to match the gender and number of the noun it describes: use violente for the feminine singular, violents for the masculine plural and violentes for the feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /vjɔ.lɑ̃/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- In modern French slang, violent is often used as a synonym for 'incredible' or 'intense' to describe something positive, such as a powerful bass line in a song or a striking piece of art.
- A French speaker might describe a very strong taste, like a sharp vinegar or an overpowering spice, as violent, describing a sensory overload rather than a physical attack.
- In older French literature, violent was sometimes used to describe an overwhelming passion or an irresistible urge, rather than just physical aggression.
Examples in context
- Tom a un côté violent.Tom has a violent streak.This sentence is useful for describing a personality trait using violent.Tatoeba #8977143 by lbdx, translation #6049282 by CK
- Sami est devenu violent.Sami got violent.This sentence is useful for describing a change in behavior using violent.Tatoeba #6329651 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #6329319 by OsoHombre
- Sami était un homme violent.Sami was a violent man.This sentence is useful for describing a person using violent.Tatoeba #6593364 by GB3, translation #6593150 by OsoHombre
- La manifestation était violente.The demonstration was violent.
- Les émeutes ont conduit à des actes violents.The riots led to violent acts.
- Le choc a été brutal.The impact was violent.
- La répression policière a été brutale.The police repression was violent.
- Ce film est vraiment violent, il y a beaucoup de scènes d'action.This movie is really intense, it has many action scenes.
- 58 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are discussing a controversial movie they just watched.
- LucasLe film était vraiment violent.The movie was really violent.
- EmmaOui, les scènes de combat étaient très violentes.Yes, the fight scenes were very violent.
- LucasEmma, tu n'as pas eu peur ?Emma, weren't you scared?
- EmmaUn peu, mais Lucas, tu as aimé ?A little, but Lucas, did you like it?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “violent” translations and entries violent, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
