French · Body & Health

"Dizzy" in French: étourdi(e)

étourdi(e)

Say it: ay-toor-DEEadjective/e.tuʁ.di/

Note: "I feel dizzy": j'ai la tête qui tourne

Dizzy in French is étourdi (masculine) or étourdie (feminine). Je me sens étourdi means I feel dizzy. A common note is j'ai la tête qui tourne, which describes the feeling but is not the headword.

After standing up fast

Je me sens étourdi, j'ai besoin de m'asseoir.
I feel dizzy—I need to sit down.
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How to pronounce étourdi(e)

Say it

ay-toor-DEE

/e.tuʁ.di/

Étourdi: ay-toor-DEE. Stress toward the end. Étourdie adds a soft final e.

"Dizzy" in French: quick reference

FrenchEnglish
étourdidizzy (m) / lightheaded

Masculine adjective.

étourdiedizzy (f)

Feminine adjective.

se sentir étourdi / étourdieto feel dizzy

Common self-report.

un peu étourdia bit dizzy

Softening un peu.

How to use étourdi(e) in real life

  1. 1After standing up fast

    Je me sens étourdi, j'ai besoin de m'asseoir.

    I feel dizzy—I need to sit down.

    Masculine speaker → étourdi.

  2. 2Heat on the metro

    Elle est étourdie à cause de la chaleur.

    She's dizzy because of the heat.

    Feminine étourdie.

  3. 3Pharmacy counter

    Ce médicament me rend étourdi le matin.

    This medicine makes me dizzy in the morning.

    Rendre + adjective.

Mistakes English speakers make with étourdi(e)

Incorrect: J'ai la tête qui tourne.

Correct: Je me sens étourdi.

Use étourdi/étourdie for the adjective; j'ai la tête qui tourne is a different descriptive phrase.

Incorrect: Elle est étourdi.

Correct: Elle est étourdie.

Feminine form takes -e: étourdie.

Good to know

At the doctor, people mix étourdi with vertiges for spinning dizziness. For a mild woozy moment after the métro, étourdi is enough. Rest, water, and s'asseoir are the usual next steps in casual talk.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Leaving a hot bus

  1. ChatPal

    Tu vas bien ? Tu as l'air étourdi.

    You okay? You look dizzy.

  2. You

    Oui… je me sens étourdi depuis la montée.

    Yeah… I've felt dizzy since going uphill.

  3. ChatPal

    Assieds-toi. Si tu restes étourdi, on trouve une pharmacie.

    Sit down. If you stay dizzy, we'll find a pharmacy.

  4. You

    Merci. Deux minutes et ça ira.

    Thanks. Two minutes and I'll be fine.

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"Dizzy" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Dizzy" in French

How do you say dizzy in French?

Étourdi (m) / étourdie (f).

How do you say I feel dizzy?

Je me sens étourdi / étourdie.

Is j'ai la tête qui tourne the same word?

No—it's a common description, but the adjective is étourdi.

How do you pronounce étourdi?

ay-toor-DEE.

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