French word

bête

Pronunciation

IPA/bɛt/

Meaning

  • adjectivestupid

Example

Ne sois pas bête, dis-moi la vérité.

Don't be stupid, tell me the truth.

Illustration for bête (stupid)

More examples

C'est bête de partir si tôt.

It's stupid to leave so early.

Core concept

A shallow-minded act that blunders because common sense is absent.

Common phrases

  • être bête

    be stupid

  • se sentir bête

    feel stupid

  • avoir l'air bête

    look stupid

  • c'est bête

    That's stupid

Similar words

stupide: Seeming unintelligent because of shallow judgment or thinking.
idiot: Extremely foolish and sometimes intended as an insult.
imbécile: Lacking judgment or common sense, sometimes with strong contempt.

Definition in French

Qui manque de jugement ou de bon sens et paraît stupide ou naïf.

Word origin

French bête developed from Old French beste, from Latin bestia, meaning "animal", as an animal-based image came to suggest foolish behavior.

Usage tips

  • In Ne sois pas bête, the adjective addresses a person and can sound insulting, while C'est bête often describes something as merely silly or foolish.

Other meanings

  • foolnoun
  • animalnoun
  • sillyadjective

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word