French Conversation · Level 60
75 words
French word
craindre
Pronunciation
IPA/kʁɛ̃dʁ/
Meaning
- verbbe afraid of ___
Example
Je crains l'orage.
I am afraid of the storm.
More examples
Elle craint de parler en public.
She is afraid to speak in public.
Core concept
A mind pictures danger ahead and tenses, sometimes hesitating before taking action.
Common phrases
craindre le pire
fear the worst
craindre pour quelqu'un
worry about someone
craindre de parler en public
be afraid to speak in public
Similar words
avoir peur: Feel intense fear or fright.
s'inquiéter: Become anxious about the future or how something will turn out.
redouter: Strongly fear that something bad will happen.
appréhender: Feel anxious because something is expected to go badly.
Definition in French
Ressentir de la peur ou de l'inquiétude à l'idée qu'un événement négatif puisse se produire, au point parfois d'hésiter à agir.
Word origin
Craindre comes through Old French creindre from a Vulgar Latin form related to Latin tremere, and shares its history with crainte.
Usage tips
- Craindre de + infinitive usually concerns the subject's own possible action or experience, while craindre que takes a subjunctive clause.