French Conversation · Level 51
75 words
French word
honte
Pronunciation
IPA/ɔ̃t/
Meaning
- feminine nounshame
Example
J'ai honte.
I am ashamed.
More examples
Elle a honte de son comportement.
She is ashamed of her behavior.
Core concept
A person lowers the eyes and pulls inward under the pressure of possible social judgment.
Common phrases
avoir honte de
be ashamed of
faire honte à
shame ___
Similar words
gêne: An uneasy feeling of awkwardness that makes it difficult to behave naturally around someone.
embarras: A troubled feeling of not knowing what to do after a failure or in a difficult situation.
humiliation: A strong feeling of humiliation from being shamed publicly and losing self-respect.
culpabilité: A guilty feeling that a past action was wrong and deserves blame.
Definition in French
Sentiment de gêne et d'embarras éprouvé lorsqu'on craint le jugement d'autrui.
Word origin
Honte is inherited through Old French, while proposed Germanic and Vulgar Latin explanations for its earlier origin remain uncertain.
Usage tips
- Faire honte à quelqu'un means to shame someone, whereas avoir honte means to feel ashamed or embarrassed.