English–French
“pensive” in French
French
Pronunciation
IPA/kɔ̃tɑ̃platif/
Example
Il reste contemplatif pendant quelques minutes.
He remains pensive for a few minutes.
How to say “pensive” in French
“Pensive” in French is contemplatif.
A person turned inward, quietly absorbed in thought while the outside world recedes.
Example sentences with contemplatif
Il lit en silence, l'air contemplatif.
He reads silently, with a pensive air.
Tips for using contemplatif
- Contemplatif sounds somewhat literary in everyday French, where pensif or perdu dans ses pensées is often more natural.