French Conversation · Level 25
90 words
French word
calmer
Pronunciation
IPA/kalme/
Meaning
- verbcalm
Example
Il faut calmer l'enfant.
The child needs to be calmed.
More examples
La respiration profonde peut calmer l'esprit.
Deep breathing can calm the mind.
Core concept
A rising disturbance is brought down until a person, sound, or situation becomes steady and peaceful.
Common phrases
calmer quelqu'un
calm someone down
calmer la situation
calm the situation
se calmer
calm down
Similar words
apaiser: To soothe anger or anxiety and restore emotional calm.
rassurer: To relieve worry or anxiety and give someone peace of mind.
détendre: To loosen tension or stiffness and help someone relax.
modérer: To lessen intensity or degree and bring it to a moderate level.
Definition in French
Apaiser ou réduire l'intensité d'une émotion, d'un son ou d'une situation; s'emploie aussi sous forme pronominale 'se calmer' pour indiquer le retour au calme.
Word origin
Calmer is formed from French calme with the verb ending -er; calme entered French through Italian calma and ultimately traces to Greek kauma through Latin cauma.
Usage tips
- Calmer takes a direct object, as in calmer l'enfant, while se calmer describes the subject returning to a calmer state.