French word

blues

Pronunciation

IPA/bluz/

Meaning

  • masculine nounblues

Example

J'ai le blues aujourd'hui.

I have the blues today.

Illustration for blues (blues)

More examples

Il a eu un coup de blues ce matin.

He had a bout of the blues this morning.

Core concept

A light, short-lived heaviness that dims interest in the day without becoming a serious illness.

Common phrases

  • avoir le blues

    have the blues

  • un coup de blues

    a bout of the blues

Similar words

tristesse: The feeling of being sad and emotionally low.
cafard: A downcast mood accompanied by low energy and little cheer.
déprime: A brief but intense drop in mood that disrupts normal functioning.
mélancolie: A subdued and quietly sorrowful state of mind.

Definition in French

Terme familier désignant une tristesse passagère et légère qui réduit l'énergie et l'enthousiasme, sans atteindre la gravité d'une dépression.

Word origin

The French noun blues entered in the twentieth century from English the blues, linking the musical genre's name with blue meaning sad.

Usage tips

  • The expression normally takes the definite article: avoir le blues, while avoir un petit blues marks a milder bout.

Opposites

Word lists with this word