French · Emotions & Descriptions
"Bored" in French: je m'ennuie
je m'ennuie
Note: literally "I'm bored"; the adjective form is rare
Bored in French is usually je m'ennuie, from s'ennuyer. Ça m'ennuie means that bores me. The adjective ennuyé exists but everyday talk prefers the verb form.
Waiting for a late train
Je m'ennuie depuis une heure sur le quai.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce je m'ennuie
Say it
zhuh mah-NWEE
/ʒə mɑ̃.nɥi/
Je m'ennuie sounds like zhuh mah-NWEE. The euie ending is like French nuit with a soft final sound. Stress falls on -nuie.
"Bored" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| je m'ennuie | I'm bored Default way to say you're bored. | Default way to say you're bored. |
| tu t'ennuies | you're bored Talking to one person (tu). | Talking to one person (tu). |
| ça m'ennuie | that bores me About a situation or task. | About a situation or task. |
| s'ennuyer | to get bored Infinitive of the verb. | Infinitive of the verb. |
How to use je m'ennuie in real life
- 1Waiting for a late train
Je m'ennuie depuis une heure sur le quai.
I've been bored for an hour on the platform.
Je m'ennuie + depuis for how long.
- 2At a dull meeting
Franchement, je m'ennuie pendant ces réunions.
Honestly, I'm bored during these meetings.
Pendant for during an event.
- 3Texting a friend
Il pleut, je m'ennuie… tu fais quoi ?
It's raining, I'm bored… what are you up to?
Casual message with the set phrase.
Mistakes English speakers make with je m'ennuie
Incorrect: Je suis bored.
Correct: Je m'ennuie.
Use the French verb phrase, not the English adjective.
Incorrect: Je m'ennuye beaucoup.
Correct: Je m'ennuie beaucoup.
Spell it ennui-e: je m'ennuie, not ennuye.
Good to know
French speakers rarely say je suis ennuyé for simple boredom; that can sound like annoyed. Je m'ennuie is the natural everyday line, and kids often stretch it: je m'ennuuuie.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Killing time before a show
ChatPal
Le spectacle commence dans une heure. Je m'ennuie déjà.
The show starts in an hour. I'm already bored.
You
Moi aussi je m'ennuie. On va prendre un café ?
I'm bored too. Shall we grab a coffee?
ChatPal
Oui, bonne idée. Sinon on va tourner en rond.
Yes, good idea. Otherwise we'll just go in circles.
You
Parfait. Je paie le premier tour.
Perfect. I'll get the first round.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Bored" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Bored" in French
How do I say I'm bored in French?
Je m'ennuie.
Is je suis ennuyé okay?
People understand it, but je m'ennuie is more natural for boredom; ennuyé can also mean annoyed.
How do I say that bores me?
Ça m'ennuie.
How do you pronounce je m'ennuie?
Zhuh mah-NWEE; the last syllable rhymes roughly with French nuit.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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