How do I express complex emotions like jealousy or disappointment in French

Feelings Unleashed: Expressing Emotions in French: How do I express complex emotions like jealousy or disappointment in French

To express complex emotions like jealousy and disappointment in French, here are some key terms and phrases:

The general term for jealousy is la jalousie.
The adjective “jealous” changes depending on gender: for a male subject, it is jaloux, and for a female subject, it is jalouse.
To say “I am jealous,” a male would say je suis jaloux and a female would say je suis jalouse.
To express being jealous “of” someone or something, the structure is être jaloux/jalouse de + the person or thing, e.g., Il est jaloux de son frère (He is jealous of his brother).
Idiomatic expressions include vert de jalousie (green with jealousy) and mourir de jalousie (to die of jealousy).³^{, 6}^{, 7}

To say “I am disappointed,” use je suis déçu(e).
To say “I didn’t expect that,” you can say je ne m’attendais pas à ça.
Slang and informal expressions for various shades of disappointment and frustration include:
- j’ai le seum (I’m upset/pissed off),
- je suis deg (I’m disgusted),
- j’ai les boules (I’m annoyed/bummed out).
These slang phrases can also convey some aspects of jealousy or general unhappiness depending on context.⁸

These expressions allow nuanced communication of these complex emotions in French.

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