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How to Say ‘I am afraid’ in French

J'ai peur

zhay- e peuhr

[zhay- e peuhr]

💬 Usage Tip: French says avoir peur — literally 'to have fear' — where English says 'to be afraid.' You can reuse it easily: j'ai peur, tu as peur, ils ont peur.

Phrase Breakdown

[zhay-]

A contraction of 'je', used before a vowel.

Example

J'ai peur du noir.

I'm afraid of the dark.

[e]

have

Used to indicate possession, with 'I' it forms present perfect and expressions related to states (age, conditions).

Example

J'ai 30 ans.

I am 30 years old.

peur

[peuhr]

fear

An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous.

Example

Elle a vraiment peur des hauteurs.

She is really afraid of heights.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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