French · Emotions & Descriptions
"Smart" in French: intelligent(e)
intelligent(e)
Smart in French is intelligent for masculine and intelligente for feminine. Say Il est intelligent and Elle est intelligente. Kids hear Tu es trop intelligent(e) as praise.
Praising a friend
Tu es vraiment intelligent, dis donc.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce intelligent(e)
Say it
an-teh-lee-ZHAHN
/ɛ̃.tɛ.li.ʒɑ̃/
an-teh-lee-ZHAHN / an-teh-lee-ZHAHNT. Soft g as zh; nasal an.
"Smart" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| intelligent / intelligente | smart / intelligent Gender forms. | Gender forms. |
| très intelligent(e) | very smart Emphasis. | Emphasis. |
| une idée intelligente | a smart idea Ideas. | Ideas. |
| malin / maligne | clever / shrewd Street-smart nuance. | Street-smart nuance. |
How to use intelligent(e) in real life
- 1Praising a friend
Tu es vraiment intelligent, dis donc.
You're really smart, wow.
Masculine form.
- 2Team brainstorm
C'est une solution intelligente.
That's a smart solution.
Feminine agreement with solution.
- 3School report
Elle est intelligente et curieuse.
She is smart and curious.
Feminine form.
Mistakes English speakers make with intelligent(e)
Incorrect: Elle est intelligent.
Correct: Elle est intelligente.
Add -e for feminine.
Incorrect: Il est smart.
Correct: Il est intelligent.
Use intelligent, not English smart.
Good to know
Intelligent is school-and-office praise; malin can mean clever in a street-smart way. Smart as in well-dressed is élégant—different idea.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Reviewing a project idea
ChatPal
Ton plan est intelligent.
Your plan is smart.
You
Merci. J'essaie d'être intelligente sur le budget.
Thanks. I'm trying to be smart about the budget.
ChatPal
Oui, c'est intelligent de prévoir une marge.
Yes, it's smart to plan a buffer.
You
On valide demain matin.
We'll lock it in tomorrow morning.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Smart" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Smart" in French
How do you say smart?
Intelligent / intelligente.
How does gender work?
Intelligent (m.), intelligente (f.).
Is malin the same?
Malin is more clever/shrewd than book-smart.
How do you pronounce intelligent?
an-teh-lee-ZHAHN.
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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