joie de vivre
/ʒwa d(ə) vivʁ/
The English phrase "zest for life" is expressed in French as joie de vivre.
joie de vivre refers to a feeling of great enthusiasm and energy for living life. While it translates to "zest for life", in English it is often used to describe a specific, vibrant French cultural attitude toward enjoying life's pleasures.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase joie de vivre literally translates to "joy of living".
How does it change in a sentence?
joie de vivre is a noun phrase used as an uncountable concept, so it does not typically take a plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒwa d(ə) vivʁ/
Did you know?
- While joie de vivre is globally recognized, French speakers may use the phrase avoir la pêche to describe a more active and energetic 'zest' for the day.
- The word vivre shares a Proto-Indo-European root with the English word 'quick', which historically meant 'alive'.
- The word joie is a direct descendant of the Classical Latin gaudium, which is the same root that gave English the word 'gaudy'.
Examples in context
- Elle a une incroyable joie de vivre.She has an incredible zest for life.
- Son énergie montre sa joie de vivre.His energy shows his zest for life.
- Il faut garder sa joie de vivre.One must keep one's zest for life.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are talking about their energetic friend at a cafe.
- LéaTu as remarqué la joie de vivre de Marie ?Have you noticed Marie's zest for life?
- NathanOui, elle est toujours si enthousiaste.Yes, she is always so enthusiastic.
- LéaC'est vraiment inspirant de la voir.It is really inspiring to see her.
- NathanC'est vrai, elle rayonne de bonheur.It's true, she radiates happiness.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry joie de vivre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, joie, vivre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
