French · Emotions & Descriptions
"Terrible" in French: terrible
terrible
Note: also: horrible
Terrible in French is terrible—same spelling, French sounds. C'est terrible means that's terrible. Horrible is a close twin for stronger disgust.
Bad review
Le service était vraiment terrible hier.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce terrible
Say it
teh-REE-bluh
/tɛ.ʁibl/
Terrible: teh-REE-bluh. Soft French r; final e is a light uh.
"Terrible" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| terrible | terrible Default adjective. | Default adjective. |
| c'est terrible | that's terrible Reaction to bad news. | Reaction to bad news. |
| une journée terrible | a terrible day Feminine noun + same form. | Feminine noun + same form. |
| horrible | horrible Stronger or more emotional. | Stronger or more emotional. |
How to use terrible in real life
- 1Bad review
Le service était vraiment terrible hier.
The service was really terrible yesterday.
Terrible after the verb.
- 2Empathy
C'est terrible, tu as perdu ton train.
That's terrible—you missed your train.
C'est terrible.
- 3Weather
Quelle chaleur terrible dans le métro.
What terrible heat in the metro.
Adjective after noun.
Mistakes English speakers make with terrible
Incorrect: C'est a terrible day (English mix).
Correct: C'est une journée terrible.
Keep French word order and articles.
Incorrect: Des nouvelles terribleses.
Correct: Des nouvelles terribles.
Plural is terribles, not an extra -es ending invented.
Good to know
French terrible can also mean terrific in older or playful speech (un rythme terrible). Context tells you if it's bad or impressively intense.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
After a cancelled flight
ChatPal
Ton vol est annulé ? C'est terrible.
Your flight is cancelled? That's terrible.
You
Oui. Une organisation terrible aujourd'hui.
Yes. Terrible organization today.
ChatPal
On cherche un autre train. Courage.
We'll look for another train. Hang in there.
You
Merci. J'appelle la compagnie.
Thanks. I'll call the airline.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Terrible" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Terrible" in French
How do you say terrible in French?
Terrible (same spelling).
How do you say that's terrible?
C'est terrible.
Terrible or horrible?
Both work; horrible often feels stronger.
How do you pronounce terrible?
teh-REE-bluh.
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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