French Conversation · Level 64
75 words
French word
paresse
Pronunciation
IPA/paʁɛs/
Meaning
- feminine nounlaziness
Example
Sa paresse l'empêche de travailler efficacement.
His laziness prevents him from working efficiently.
More examples
Il se laisse aller à la paresse le dimanche.
He gives himself over to laziness on Sundays.
Core concept
A heavy reluctance to start tasks, allowing effort to give way to inactivity and neglect.
Common phrases
se laisser aller à la paresse
give oneself over to laziness
une crise de paresse
a spell of laziness
vaincre la paresse
conquer laziness
Similar words
flemme: A temporary lack of motivation that makes doing something feel like a chore.
fainéantise: The quality or habit of being lazy and avoiding work.
Definition in French
Tendance à éviter l'effort et l'activité, conduisant à l'inactivité ou à la négligence des tâches.
Word origin
Old French paresce developed into French paresse, a word ultimately related to Latin pigritia, meaning sluggishness or lack of energy.
Usage tips
- Paresse names a general trait, while everyday French often uses avoir la flemme for temporary reluctance.