French Conversation · Level 132
30 words
French word
bêtement
Pronunciation
IPA/bɛtəmɑ̃/
Meaning
- adverbfoolishly
Example
Il a agi bêtement.
He acted foolishly.
More examples
Elle a perdu ses clés bêtement.
She foolishly lost her keys.
Core concept
A person acting on impulse without sound judgment, producing an awkward or risky result.
Common phrases
agir bêtement
act foolishly
réagir bêtement
react foolishly
dire bêtement
speak foolishly
Similar words
stupidement: In a foolish way that shows poor judgment.
naïvement: With naive trust and little awareness of how the world works.
Definition in French
Indique qu'une action a été faite par manque de jugement, souvent perçue comme ridicule ou imprudente.
Word origin
Bêtement is formed from bête, from Latin bestia, meaning beast, with the French adverb suffix -ment; bête later developed senses linked with foolishness.
Usage tips
- In some contexts, bêtement means simply or naively rather than expressing harsh condemnation.
Other meanings
- ridiculouslyadverb
Opposites
- intelligemmentintelligentlyadverb
- sagementwiselyadverb