French word

peiner

Pronunciation

IPA/pene/

Meaning

  • verbsadden

Example

Sa remarque me peine.

Her remark saddens me.

Illustration for peiner (sadden)

More examples

Je ne veux pas te peiner.

I don't want to sadden you.

Core concept

A weight of pain settling on someone's feelings.

Common phrases

  • peiner quelqu'un

    sadden someone

  • peiner à + infinitif

    struggle to ___

Similar words

blesser: To hurt someone's feelings through words or actions.
décevoir: To disappoint someone by failing to meet hopes or expectations.
chagriner: To make someone feel sad or dispirited.
contrarier: To frustrate or annoy someone by thwarting their wishes.

Definition in French

Infliger de la tristesse ou du chagrin à quelqu'un.

Word origin

The French noun peine gave rise to peiner, and peine ultimately goes back to Latin poena, meaning punishment or suffering.

Usage tips

  • In "ça me peine", me marks the person affected, while "peiner à" followed by an infinitive means struggling to do something.

Other meanings

  • afflictverb
  • struggleverb
  • toilverb

Opposites

Related words

  • peinésaddenedadjective

Word lists with this word