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B1 verb 13 Min. Lesezeit

peiner

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At the A1 level, you should focus on the simplest meaning of the related noun 'peine' in the phrase 'faire de la peine' (to make someone sad). While the verb 'peiner' itself might be a bit advanced for a complete beginner, you will encounter the idea of 'peine' as sadness very early on. You can think of 'peiner' as a way to say someone is working very, very hard. Imagine a person carrying a huge box; they are 'peining' because the box is heavy. At this stage, just remember that 'peine' equals 'sadness' or 'hard work.' You don't need to conjugate it perfectly yet, but recognizing it in a story about a tired worker or a sad friend is a great start. Focus on the feeling of the word: it's not a happy word. It's a word for when things are difficult or when hearts are heavy. If you see 'Il peine,' just think: 'He is having a hard time.' This simple association will serve as the foundation for more complex uses later. You might also see 'à peine' which means 'just' or 'barely,' like 'I just arrived.'

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At the A2 level, you can start using the verb 'peiner' to describe simple physical struggles. You might say 'Il peine à monter l'escalier' (He is struggling to go up the stairs). You are moving beyond just knowing the word to actually using it in sentences. You should also be comfortable with the phrase 'faire de la peine à quelqu'un.' For example, 'Ça me fait de la peine' (That makes me sad/pains me). At this level, you are learning that French often uses 'faire' + a noun to express things that English expresses with a single verb. You should also recognize the past tense: 'J'ai peiné' (I struggled). Start looking for this word in simple news articles or children's books where a character might struggle to reach a goal. The key for A2 is realizing that 'peiner' is about the effort involved in an action. It's more than just 'working'; it's 'working with difficulty.' This nuance helps you describe the world more accurately. Practice saying what you struggle with in French using 'Je peine à...' followed by a verb you already know, like 'parler' or 'comprendre.'

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At the B1 level, you are expected to use 'peiner' in both its transitive and intransitive forms. You should understand the difference between 'Cela me peine' (It saddens me) and 'Je peine à finir ce rapport' (I am struggling to finish this report). This is the level where you start to use 'peiner' to describe more abstract struggles, like struggling to understand a concept or a company struggling to make a profit. You should also be familiar with the expression 'se donner de la peine,' which means to put in a lot of effort or to take pains to do something. For example, 'Elle s'est donné beaucoup de peine pour organiser cette fête' (She took a lot of trouble to organize this party). You are now moving into more professional and formal contexts. You should be able to read a newspaper article about the economy and understand when it says 'la croissance peine à décoller' (growth is struggling to take off). At B1, you are also becoming aware of the 'register' of words, and you know that 'peiner' is a bit more formal and precise than 'avoir du mal à.'

At the B2 level, you should use 'peiner' with nuance and precision. You understand its role in creating a specific tone in your writing. Instead of just saying you are sad, you use 'peiner' to express a more dignified, profound sorrow. You also use it to describe complex social and political issues. For instance, you might discuss how 'la société peine à intégrer les nouveaux arrivants' (society is struggling to integrate newcomers). At this level, you should also be comfortable with the passive form 'être peiné' and ensure correct agreement with the subject. You understand that 'peiner' can also be used in a more literary sense to describe the 'peine' (suffering) of a character. Your vocabulary is now rich enough to choose 'peiner' over 'galérer' when you want to sound more professional or 'affliger' when you want to sound more dramatic. You also use 'à peine' naturally in complex sentences, such as 'À peine était-il arrivé qu'il a dû repartir' (Hardly had he arrived when he had to leave again). This shows a high level of grammatical control.

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At the C1 level, 'peiner' becomes a tool for stylistic expression. You use it to describe the subtle friction in human relationships and the existential struggles of life. You might use it in an essay to describe how 'l'esprit peine à saisir l'infini' (the mind struggles to grasp the infinite). You are fully aware of the etymological roots of the word and how it connects to the history of the French language. You can distinguish between the various synonyms of 'peiner' and choose the one that fits the exact 'flavor' of the sentence. You might use 'peiner' to describe a poetic struggle, like 'le jour qui peine à poindre' (the day that struggles to dawn). You also understand the legal and historical nuances of 'peine' (as in 'peine de mort') and how the verb 'peiner' carries those echoes of weight and consequence. Your use of the word is fluid, and you can use it in highly formal speeches or academic papers to describe systemic failures or the slow progress of human rights.

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At the C2 level, your mastery of 'peiner' is complete. You can use it to explore deep philosophical themes or to write sophisticated literature. You understand the most obscure uses of the word and its derivatives. You might use it in a critique of a complex work of art, describing how the artist 'peine à traduire l'indicible' (struggles to translate the unspeakable). You can play with the word's double meaning—effort and sorrow—to create puns or deep metaphors. You are also a master of the 'à peine' inversion and other advanced grammatical structures involving the word. For a C2 speaker, 'peiner' is not just a verb; it's a versatile instrument that can convey everything from the mechanical struggle of an old clock to the profound grief of a nation. You can use it to discuss the 'peines' of the heart in a way that is both evocative and precise. You are also aware of regional variations or archaic uses that might appear in older texts, allowing you to interpret French literature from any century with ease.

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peiner in 30 Sekunden

Peiner means to struggle with a task or to cause someone else emotional sorrow.
When followed by 'à', it describes having difficulty performing a specific action.
As a transitive verb, it expresses causing grief or distress to another person.
It is a versatile word used in both everyday conversation and formal journalism.

The French verb peiner is a multifaceted gem in the linguistic landscape of France, primarily functioning in two distinct but related spheres of meaning: the exertion of effort and the infliction of emotional distress. At its core, the word is derived from the noun peine, which translates to pain, penalty, or sorrow. When you use peiner in a transitive sense, you are describing the act of causing someone to feel sadness, grief, or distress. It is a profound way to express empathy or to describe the impact of unfortunate news. For example, if a friend loses a pet, you might say their situation me peine beaucoup (it pains me greatly). This usage is slightly more formal than triste and carries a weight of sincere emotional burden.

The Emotional Transitive: In this context, peiner acts directly on an object. Cette nouvelle va le peiner means 'This news will grieve him.' It is often used in literature and formal correspondence to express sympathy.

On the other hand, the intransitive usage is perhaps even more common in daily life. Here, peiner means to struggle, to toil, or to have a hard time accomplishing a task. If you are climbing a steep hill and your legs are burning, you are en train de peiner. If a student is struggling with a complex mathematical equation, they peinent sur leur problème. This sense of the word evokes the image of friction, resistance, and the slow, agonizing progress of someone working against heavy odds. It is the linguistic equivalent of a heavy sigh during a long day of work.

Je vois que tu peines à porter ces valises; laisse-moi t'aider.

Understanding the nuance between these two uses is vital for reaching a B1 level of proficiency. You must distinguish between the peine you feel for someone and the peine you experience when a task is difficult. In the former, the subject is the cause of the sorrow; in the latter, the subject is the one experiencing the difficulty. This verb captures the human condition of both empathy and endurance.

The Physical Intransitive: When followed by the preposition 'à' and an infinitive, it means 'to have difficulty doing something.' For example: L'économie peine à se redresser (The economy is struggling to recover).

L'athlète peinait sur les derniers mètres de la course.

Furthermore, the word appears in several set expressions that reinforce its connection to labor and suffering. To se donner de la peine is to take pains or to make a significant effort. This highlights that effort is not just something that happens to us, but something we can choose to invest. Conversely, if something is à peine, it means 'hardly' or 'scarcely,' suggesting that the threshold was only just crossed with great difficulty.

Register and Tone: 'Peiner' is versatile. It is perfectly acceptable in formal writing to describe social struggles, yet simple enough for a parent to describe a child's difficulty with homework.

Ton silence me peine plus que tes reproches.

Le vieux moteur peinait à monter la pente raide.

Elle peine à cacher sa déception devant le résultat.

Ultimately, peiner is a word that requires sensitivity to context. Whether you are discussing the heavy heart of a grieving widow or the heavy lifting of a dockworker, this verb provides the necessary gravity to the conversation.

Using peiner correctly involves understanding its grammatical structures. It functions as both a transitive verb (taking a direct object) and an intransitive verb (often followed by a preposition). When you want to say that something is making you sad, you use it transitively: Cela me peine. Here, 'cela' is the subject (the cause), and 'me' is the direct object (the person affected). This structure is very common when expressing sympathy.

Transitive Structure: [Subject] + peiner + [Object]. Example: Son départ a peiné toute la famille (His departure saddened the whole family).

If you are describing a struggle, the most common structure is peiner à followed by an infinitive. This is the French equivalent of 'to struggle to' or 'to have trouble doing.' For example, Il peine à comprendre le français (He struggles to understand French). Note the use of the preposition 'à'; using 'de' here is a common mistake for English speakers.

Les secouristes peinent à atteindre les victimes à cause de la neige.

Another variation is peiner sur, which means to work hard on or struggle with a specific task or object. Il peine sur son devoir de mathématiques implies that the student is putting in a lot of effort but finding the work difficult. This usage emphasizes the duration and intensity of the effort.

Intransitive with Prepositions: [Subject] + peiner + [à + infinitive] OR [sur + noun]. Example: L'entreprise peine à recruter (The company is struggling to recruit).

In the past tense, peiner is conjugated with avoir. J'ai peiné (I struggled) or Cela m'a peiné (That saddened me). It is a regular -er verb, making its conjugation predictable across all tenses. However, be careful with the passive voice. While être peiné (to be saddened) is common, it acts more like an adjective. Je suis peiné par ton attitude (I am saddened by your attitude).

Nous avons peiné tout l'après-midi pour déplacer ce meuble.

The Passive Construction: Using 'être peiné' emphasizes the state of the person feeling the sorrow. Example: Il est très peiné de ne pas pouvoir venir (He is very saddened not to be able to come).

Elle peinait à retenir ses larmes pendant le discours.

Le gouvernement peine à convaincre les citoyens de la nécessité des réformes.

Je peine à croire que tout cela est déjà fini.

In summary, use peiner transitively for emotional impact on others, and use peiner à or peiner sur to describe your own or others' difficulties with tasks. This distinction ensures clarity and precision in your French communication.

You will encounter peiner in a variety of real-world contexts, ranging from the evening news to classic literature. In journalistic French, it is a staple for describing economic and social challenges. News anchors often report that le secteur du tourisme peine à retrouver son niveau d'avant-crise (the tourism sector is struggling to return to its pre-crisis level). It sounds professional and objective, conveying the idea of a slow, difficult recovery without being overly dramatic.

In the Media: Used to describe lagging growth, slow legislative processes, or difficult diplomatic negotiations. It suggests an uphill battle.

In everyday conversation, you might hear a friend say, Je peine vraiment avec mon nouveau logiciel (I'm really struggling with my new software). It's a slightly more sophisticated way of saying j'ai du mal. It implies that the person is putting in the work but not seeing immediate results. In the context of sports, commentators use peiner to describe an athlete who is losing steam. Le cycliste commence à peiner dans la montée du col (The cyclist is starting to struggle on the mountain pass climb).

On entend souvent que les petites entreprises peinent à obtenir des prêts bancaires.

From an emotional standpoint, peiner is frequently used in letters of condolence or when discussing interpersonal relationships. If someone says, Ton attitude me peine, they are expressing a deep, quiet sadness rather than anger. It's an appeal to the other person's empathy. You'll hear this in dramas, movies, and serious podcasts where emotions are explored in depth.

Literary Usage: In novels, authors use it to describe the internal struggle of a character. Il peinait à trouver les mots justes (He struggled to find the right words).

La radio annonçait que les trains peinaient à circuler normalement.

Mon grand-père peine maintenant à marcher sans sa canne.

Il est peiné de voir son ami échouer si près du but.

You might also hear it in the workplace. A manager might note that a team peine à respecter les délais (is struggling to meet deadlines). This is a polite but firm way to address performance issues. By using peiner, the manager acknowledges that the team is trying, even if they aren't succeeding yet.

Colloquial Shortening: While 'peiner' is standard, in slang, you might hear 'galérer' or 'ramer' instead. 'Peiner' remains the safe, versatile choice for any situation.

Même les experts peinent à expliquer ce phénomène étrange.

Ultimately, peiner is everywhere because struggle and empathy are universal. Whether it's the physical struggle of an engine or the emotional struggle of a friend, this word captures the friction of existence.

One of the most frequent errors English speakers make with peiner is using the wrong preposition. Because we say 'struggle to' in English, learners often try to say peiner de. However, the correct preposition is always à when followed by a verb. For example, Je peine à finir is correct, while Je peine de finir is incorrect. This is a common hurdle for B1 learners who are still mapping English prepositions onto French ones.

Preposition Confusion: Mistake: 'Il peine de courir.' Correct: 'Il peine à courir.' Always use 'à' for actions.

Another mistake is confusing peiner with punir (to punish) because of the similarity in the root word 'peine' (which can mean penalty). While they are related etymologically, peiner never means to issue a punishment. If you want to say 'The judge punished him,' use Le juge l'a puni, not Le juge l'a peiné. The latter would mean the judge made him feel sad, which is likely true but not the legal action intended.

Incorrect: Elle peine de comprendre.
Correct: Elle peine à comprendre.

Learners also often forget that peiner can be transitive. They might say Je suis peiné (I am saddened) but forget they can say Cela me peine (That saddens me). Using the transitive form makes your French sound much more natural and active. Additionally, some learners over-rely on peiner to mean 'to struggle' when avoir du mal à is often more common in casual speech. While peiner isn't wrong, using avoir du mal à can sometimes make you sound more like a native speaker in informal settings.

Over-formalization: While 'peiner' is great, don't use it for every minor difficulty. For 'I'm struggling to open this jar,' 'J'ai du mal à ouvrir ce bocal' is more natural than 'Je peine à ouvrir ce bocal.'

Incorrect: Ça me fait peine.
Correct: Ça me fait de la peine OR Ça me peine.

Faites attention à l'accord : Elles sont peinées (They are saddened) requires an 'e' and an 's'.

A final subtle mistake is using peiner for 'to hurt' in a physical sense. If you stub your toe, you don't peine; you avoir mal. Peiner is for the struggle of the action or the sorrow of the heart, not the sharp pain of an injury.

Passive Voice Agreement: When using 'être peiné,' the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject. Example: Marie est peinée par la nouvelle.

Évitez de dire 'Je peine avec toi' pour 'I feel for you.' Dites plutôt 'Je partage ta peine' ou 'Cela me peine pour toi.'

L'expression 'à peine' est invariable. Ne dites jamais 'à peines'.

By keeping these nuances in mind, you will avoid the most common pitfalls and use peiner with the precision of a native speaker.

To truly master peiner, it is helpful to compare it with its synonyms and alternatives. Depending on the context, you might want to choose a word that is more specific or has a different register. For the meaning 'to struggle,' the most common alternative is avoir du mal à. This is the 'workhorse' of the French language. While peiner suggests a heavy, constant effort, avoir du mal à is more general and can be used for anything from complex math to opening a jar.

Peiner vs. Avoir du mal à: Peiner is more literary and formal; avoir du mal à is the standard conversational choice. Il peine à marcher sounds more serious than Il a du mal à marcher.

If the struggle is particularly intense or frustrating, you might use galérer (slang) or ramer (colloquial). Galérer evokes the image of a galley slave rowing against the tide, while ramer (to row) implies you are working hard but not getting anywhere. These are great for informal chats with friends but should be avoided in professional writing.

Je galère trop avec ce projet; je ne vais jamais finir à temps !

For the meaning 'to cause sorrow,' synonyms include attrister, affliger, and chagriner. Attrister is the most direct equivalent to 'to sadden.' Affliger is much stronger, suggesting deep, profound grief or a great misfortune. Chagriner is slightly more old-fashioned or formal, often used for smaller disappointments.

Peiner vs. Attrister: Peiner often feels more intimate. Cela me peine sounds like a personal wound, whereas Cela m'attriste is more of a general state of sadness.

Another related term is s'efforcer de (to strive to). While peiner focuses on the difficulty of the task, s'efforcer focuses on the will and determination of the person doing it. If you say Je m'efforce de comprendre, you are highlighting your effort. If you say Je peine à comprendre, you are highlighting the difficulty of the concept.

Il s'efforce de rester calme malgré la situation stressante.

Summary of Alternatives: To struggle: avoir du mal à, ramer, galérer, éprouver des difficultés. To sadden: attrister, affliger, chagriner, navrer.

Je suis navré d'apprendre cette mauvaise nouvelle (I am extremely sorry/saddened).

La voiture est à peine sortie du garage qu'elle est déjà en panne.

Understanding these alternatives allows you to paint a more precise picture of your thoughts and feelings. Peiner is a powerful word, but knowing when to use its cousins will make your French truly shine.

How Formal Is It?

Wusstest du?

The English word 'pain' and the French word 'peine' share the same Latin root 'poena'. This is why 'peiner' can mean both psychological pain and the 'pain' of hard work.

Aussprachehilfe

UK /pɛ.ne/

US /pɛ.neɪ/

In French, the stress is generally on the final syllable: pei-NER.

Reimt sich auf

aimer donner chanter manger parler travailler déjeuner regarder

Häufige Fehler

Pronouncing the final 'r' (it is silent).
Making the 'ei' sound like 'eye' (it should be 'eh').
Confusing the nasal 'pain' (bread) with the 'pei' in 'peiner'.
Over-emphasizing the first syllable.
Pronouncing it like 'pénétrer'.

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Lesen 3/5

Common in literature and news, but meanings are usually clear from context.

Schreiben 4/5

Requires correct preposition usage (à) and understanding of transitive/intransitive balance.

Sprechen 3/5

Easy to pronounce but requires thinking about whether to use 'peiner' or 'avoir du mal'.

Hören 3/5

Can be confused with 'pain' or other similar sounding words if not careful.

Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest

Voraussetzungen

peine mal triste travail difficile

Als Nächstes lernen

affliger s'efforcer pénible ramer galérer

Fortgeschritten

pénibilité chagriner navrer s'escrimer s'éreinter

Wichtige Grammatik

Verbs followed by the preposition 'à'

peiner à, réussir à, commencer à

Transitive vs. Intransitive verbs

Cela me peine (transitive) vs. Je peine (intransitive)

Past participle agreement with 'être'

Elle est peinée.

Use of 'à peine' for inversion

À peine était-il là qu'il est parti.

Reflexive verbs for effort

Se donner de la peine.

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Beispiele nach Niveau

Le petit garçon peine à porter son sac.

The little boy struggles to carry his bag.

Simple present tense of a regular -er verb.

Ça me fait de la peine pour toi.

That makes me feel sad for you.

Using the noun 'peine' with the verb 'faire'.

Le chat peine à monter sur la table.

The cat is struggling to climb onto the table.

Intransitive use with 'à' + infinitive.

Il est à peine midi.

It is barely noon.

The adverbial phrase 'à peine'.

Elle peine avec ses devoirs.

She is struggling with her homework.

Use of 'peiner' with 'avec' in a simple context.

Le vieux chien peine à marcher.

The old dog struggles to walk.

Present tense, third person singular.

Ne pleure pas, ça me peine.

Don't cry, it pains me.

Transitive use where 'me' is the object.

Il peine beaucoup aujourd'hui.

He is struggling a lot today.

Use of the adverb 'beaucoup' to modify the verb.

Nous avons peiné pour finir le projet.

We struggled to finish the project.

Passé composé with 'avoir'.

Votre tristesse me peine énormément.

Your sadness pains me enormously.

Transitive use with a direct object.

Le coureur peine dans la dernière ligne droite.

The runner is struggling in the home stretch.

Use of 'dans' to indicate the context of the struggle.

J'ai à peine mangé ce matin.

I barely ate this morning.

'À peine' used to modify the verb in the past tense.

Elle se donne de la peine pour réussir.

She is taking pains/making an effort to succeed.

The reflexive idiom 'se donner de la peine'.

La voiture peine à démarrer par ce froid.

The car is struggling to start in this cold.

Impersonal subject 'la voiture' struggling.

Cela me peine de vous voir partir.

It pains me to see you leave.

Transitive use followed by 'de' + infinitive.

Ils peinent sur ce problème depuis une heure.

They have been struggling with this problem for an hour.

Use of 'sur' + noun to indicate the task.

Le gouvernement peine à réduire le chômage.

The government is struggling to reduce unemployment.

Formal usage in a political context.

Je suis peiné d'apprendre cette nouvelle.

I am saddened to hear this news.

Passive construction with 'être peiné'.

Il peine à cacher sa déception.

He is struggling to hide his disappointment.

Describing an internal emotional struggle.

La région peine à se reconstruire après l'orage.

The region is struggling to rebuild after the storm.

Reflexive infinitive 'se reconstruire' after 'peine à'.

Elle a peiné toute sa vie pour élever ses enfants.

She struggled/toiled all her life to raise her children.

Using 'peiner' to describe lifelong effort.

Ce manque de respect me peine profondément.

This lack of respect pains me deeply.

Transitive use with an abstract subject.

L'avion peine à prendre de l'altitude.

The plane is struggling to gain altitude.

Technical/physical struggle.

Il est à peine croyable que nous ayons gagné.

It is hardly believable that we won.

'À peine' used with an adjective.

L'économie européenne peine à retrouver son dynamisme.

The European economy is struggling to regain its dynamism.

High-level journalistic French.

Je ne voudrais pas vous peiner, mais votre travail est insuffisant.

I wouldn't want to sadden you, but your work is insufficient.

Conditional mood for politeness.

Les négociations peinent à aboutir à un accord.

The negotiations are struggling to reach an agreement.

Abstract subject 'négociations'.

Elle était visiblement peinée par ces remarques acerbes.

She was visibly saddened by those sharp remarks.

Passive voice with agreement (peinée).

Le moteur peinait sous le poids de la remorque.

The engine was struggling under the weight of the trailer.

Imperfect tense to describe a continuous state.

À peine le soleil était-il levé qu'il se mit au travail.

Hardly had the sun risen when he started working.

Literary inversion with 'à peine'.

Le pays peine à sortir de cette crise sociale.

The country is struggling to emerge from this social crisis.

Describing a societal struggle.

Cela me peine que tu ne me fasses pas confiance.

It pains me that you don't trust me.

Use of the subjunctive 'fasses' after 'cela me peine que'.

L'auteur peine à traduire l'angoisse de son personnage.

The author struggles to translate his character's anguish.

Literary analysis context.

Il est fort peiné de cette méprise qui a gâché leur amitié.

He is very saddened by this misunderstanding that ruined their friendship.

Formal 'fort' used as an intensifier.

La démocratie peine parfois à résister aux assauts du populisme.

Democracy sometimes struggles to resist the assaults of populism.

Complex abstract subject and object.

Le vent peinait à dissiper le brouillard épais sur la lande.

The wind struggled to dissipate the thick fog on the moor.

Personification of 'le vent'.

Elle peine à réconcilier ses idéaux avec la réalité du terrain.

She struggles to reconcile her ideals with the reality on the ground.

Sophisticated conceptual struggle.

Il ne faut pas peiner les âmes sensibles avec de tels récits.

One must not distress sensitive souls with such stories.

Transitive use in a moralizing context.

À peine avait-il fini son discours que les applaudissements éclatèrent.

Barely had he finished his speech when the applause broke out.

Formal literary structure with plus-que-parfait.

L'institution peine à se réformer de l'intérieur.

The institution is struggling to reform itself from within.

Describing systemic inertia.

Le philosophe peine à circonscrire l'essence même de la liberté.

The philosopher struggles to define the very essence of freedom.

Highly academic and abstract usage.

Rien ne saurait davantage me peiner que votre indifférence.

Nothing could pain me more than your indifference.

Soutenu register with 'ne saurait'.

La langue peine à rendre compte de la beauté du crépuscule.

Language struggles to account for the beauty of the twilight.

Metaphorical use regarding the limits of expression.

Il s'est agi d'un travail de longue haleine où chaque mot a peiné à naître.

It was a long-term task where every word struggled to be born.

Describing the creative process as a struggle.

L'âme humaine peine souvent sous le joug des conventions sociales.

The human soul often struggles under the yoke of social conventions.

Poetic/philosophical personification.

À peine l'idée fut-elle émise qu'elle fut aussitôt contestée.

Hardly was the idea expressed than it was immediately contested.

Inversion with passé antérieur.

La structure même du bâtiment peine à supporter ces nouveaux ajouts.

The very structure of the building is struggling to support these new additions.

Technical/Architectural metaphor.

On ne peut que peiner devant tant d'injustice manifeste.

One can only grieve in the face of such manifest injustice.

Intransitive use expressing moral grief.

Häufige Kollokationen

peiner à croire

peiner à finir

peiner à comprendre

peiner à marcher

peiner à respirer

cela me peine de

peiner sur un dossier

peiner à convaincre

peiner à démarrer

peiner à se lever

Häufige Phrasen

À peine

— Hardly, barely, or scarcely. Used to indicate that something just barely happened.

Il a à peine dix ans.

Se donner de la peine

— To take pains or to work hard at something. Focuses on the intentionality of the effort.

Tu devrais te donner de la peine pour ton examen.

Faire de la peine

— To hurt someone's feelings or make them sad. Very common in daily life.

Ne lui fais pas de la peine.

Valoir la peine

— To be worth the effort or worth it. A very useful phrase.

Ce film vaut la peine d'être vu.

Sous peine de

— Under penalty of. Used in legal or formal warnings.

Défense de fumer sous peine d'amende.

Avec peine

— With difficulty. Describes how an action was performed.

Il a fini son travail avec peine.

Sans peine

— Without difficulty or easily. The opposite of 'avec peine'.

Il a gagné le match sans peine.

C'est à peine si...

— It's barely the case that... or one can hardly say that...

C'est à peine s'il m'a dit bonjour.

Se peiner

— To worry oneself or to be distressed. Less common than 's'inquiéter'.

Ne vous peinez pas pour si peu.

Peine perdue

— A waste of effort. Used when something was done for nothing.

J'ai essayé de lui expliquer, mais c'est peine perdue.

Wird oft verwechselt mit

peiner vs punir

Punir means to punish. Peiner means to struggle or sadden. They share a root but not a meaning.

peiner vs pénétrer

Sounds similar but means to enter or penetrate.

peiner vs peindre

Means to paint. The conjugation of 'peindre' (je peins) sounds like 'peine'.

Redewendungen & Ausdrücke

"Se donner du mal"

— To go to great lengths or work very hard. Synonymous with 'se donner de la peine'.

Il s'est donné du mal pour nous accueillir.

informal

"Avoir de la peine à joindre les deux bouts"

— To struggle to make ends meet financially.

Beaucoup de gens peinent à joindre les deux bouts.

neutral

"Être à la peine"

— To be in a difficult situation or to be struggling significantly.

L'équipe de France est à la peine dans ce match.

neutral

"Avoir son compte de peine"

— To have had enough trouble or suffering.

Laissez-le tranquille, il a eu son compte de peine.

informal

"Mourir de peine"

— To die of grief. Used figuratively to describe extreme sadness.

Elle a failli mourir de peine après son départ.

literary

"Tirer de la peine"

— To get out of a difficult situation. Often used with 'se'.

Il s'est tiré de peine grâce à ses amis.

neutral

"Mettre en peine"

— To cause worry or anxiety to someone.

Ton retard m'a mis en peine.

formal

"Peine de cœur"

— Heartache or romantic sorrow.

Il soigne une grosse peine de cœur.

neutral

"Pour la peine"

— As a reward for the effort or (ironically) as a consequence.

Tu as bien travaillé, pour la peine, tu as un chocolat.

informal

"Avoir de la peine pour quelqu'un"

— To feel sorry for someone.

J'ai vraiment de la peine pour lui.

neutral

Leicht verwechselbar

peiner vs pain

Sounds like the first syllable of peiner.

Pain is bread (noun). Peiner is a verb.

Je mange du pain vs Je peine à manger.

peiner vs peine

It is the noun form.

Peine is the noun (sorrow/penalty). Peiner is the action.

J'ai de la peine vs Je peine.

peiner vs pénible

Adjective from the same family.

Pénible describes something difficult. Peiner is doing the difficult thing.

C'est un travail pénible vs Je peine au travail.

peiner vs penser

Vaguely similar sound for beginners.

Penser means to think. Peiner means to struggle.

Je pense à toi vs Tu me peines.

peiner vs pencher

Similar spelling.

Pencher means to lean or tilt.

Le mur penche vs Je peine à construire le mur.

Satzmuster

S + peiner + à + infinitive

Je peine à lire.

Ça + me + peine

Ça me peine.

S + peine + sur + noun

Il peine sur son travail.

S + être + peiné + de + infinitive

Je suis peiné de partir.

À peine + verb + S + que...

À peine est-il arrivé qu'il a plu.

S + peiner + à + se + infinitive

L'idée peine à se concrétiser.

Rien ne + S + davantage + que...

Rien ne me peine davantage que le mensonge.

Any

Se donner de la peine pour + noun

Elle se donne de la peine pour ses enfants.

Wortfamilie

Substantive

peine (pain, sorrow, penalty)

pénibilité (arduousness, difficulty)

Verben

peiner (to struggle, to sadden)

dépéner (archaic: to remove from pain)

Adjektive

peiné (saddened)

pénible (difficult, painful, annoying)

pénal (penal)

Verwandt

punir (to punish)

punition (punishment)

repentir (to repent)

pénalité (penalty)

pénitence (penitence)

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So verwendest du es

frequency

Common in written French and news; moderately common in spoken French.

Häufige Fehler

Using 'peiner de' instead of 'peiner à'. → Je peine à comprendre.
In French, the verb peiner requires the preposition 'à' before an infinitive.
Using 'peiner' for physical pain (e.g., 'mon bras peine'). → Mon bras me fait mal.
'Peiner' refers to struggle or sorrow, not physical sensation of pain.
Forgetting the agreement in 'être peiné'. → Elle est peinée.
When used as a passive adjective, it must agree with the subject's gender and number.
Confusing 'peiner' with 'punir'. → Le prof m'a puni.
'Peiner' is to sadden or struggle; 'punir' is to give a penalty.
Saying 'ça me fait peine' instead of 'ça me fait de la peine'. → Ça me fait de la peine.
The idiom requires the partitive article 'de la'.

Tipps

Preposition check

Always pair 'peiner' with 'à' when an action follows. It's one of the most common mistakes for learners.

Nuance your sadness

Use 'peiner' when the sadness feels like a weight or a burden on your heart, rather than just a fleeting emotion.

The 'à peine' trick

Use 'à peine' to mean 'just' or 'barely' to sound more native. 'Je suis à peine arrivé' sounds great.

Professional tone

In business reports, use 'peiner à' to describe slow progress. It sounds more objective than 'avoir des problèmes'.

Respect the effort

Remember that 'se donner de la peine' is a very positive trait in French culture, showing dedication.

Silent 'r'

Never pronounce the 'r' at the end of 'peiner'. It should sound exactly like 'peiné'.

The 'Pain' connection

Link 'peiner' to the English word 'pain' to remember both the sorrow and the painful effort meanings.

Context clues

If you hear 'peine' at the start of a sentence, it's likely 'à peine' (hardly). If it's after a subject, it's the verb.

Worth it?

Memorize 'ça vaut la peine' (it's worth it). It's one of the most useful phrases in the French language.

Transitive power

Practice using 'cela me peine' instead of always saying 'je suis triste'. It adds variety to your speech.

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Think of the word 'Pain'. When you 'peiner', you are either in emotional pain or you are working so hard it feels like physical pain.

Visuelle Assoziation

Imagine a man 'peining' to push a boulder up a hill. The boulder is labeled 'PEINE'. It represents both his hard work and his heavy heart.

Word Web

Peine Pénible À peine Sorrow Struggle Effort Toil Grief

Herausforderung

Try to write three sentences: one using 'peiner à' for a physical task, one using 'cela me peine' for a sad situation, and one using 'à peine' for timing.

Wortherkunft

Derived from the Old French 'painer', which comes from the noun 'peine'. The noun 'peine' originates from the Latin 'poena', meaning 'punishment', 'penalty', or 'torment'.

Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: Originally, it referred to undergoing punishment or suffering. Over time, it broadened to include the effort required to avoid punishment or the general toil of labor.

Indo-European > Italic > Romance > French.

Kultureller Kontext

When using 'peiner' to describe someone's struggle, ensure you are not sounding patronizing. It implies a significant difficulty.

English speakers often use 'struggle' or 'sadden' separately. 'Peiner' is unique because it covers both, which can be confusing at first.

Victor Hugo's 'Les Misérables' frequently uses 'peine' to describe the suffering of the poor. The phrase 'La peine de mort' (the death penalty) is a constant in French political history. Many French chansons use 'cela me peine' to describe lost love.

Im Alltag üben

Kontexte aus dem Alltag

Physical Effort

peiner à monter
peiner à porter
peiner à courir
peiner sous le poids

Emotional Distress

cela me peine
être peiné par
peiner quelqu'un
faire de la peine

Professional/Academic

peiner à comprendre
peiner à finir
peiner sur un projet
peiner à convaincre

Economic/News

peiner à se redresser
peiner à croître
peiner à recruter
peiner à aboutir

Everyday Timing

à peine arrivé
à peine fini
à peine croyable
à peine visible

Gesprächseinstiege

"Est-ce que tu peines souvent à te lever le matin ?"

"Qu'est-ce qui te peine le plus dans l'actualité en ce moment ?"

"As-tu déjà peiné pour apprendre une nouvelle compétence ?"

"Est-ce qu'il y a un livre qui t'a vraiment peiné par sa fin ?"

"Peines-tu à comprendre certains accents français ?"

Tagebuch-Impulse

Décris une situation où tu as dû te donner beaucoup de peine pour réussir quelque chose de difficile.

Écris sur une nouvelle qui t'a peiné récemment et explique pourquoi cela t'a touché.

Quels sont les domaines de ta vie où tu peines le plus en ce moment ? Comment peux-tu t'améliorer ?

Imagine que tu es un athlète qui peine pendant une course. Décris tes sensations physiques et mentales.

Réflexion : Est-ce que les choses qui valent la peine sont toujours celles qui nous font peiner ?

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

No, 'peiner' is for the struggle of an action or emotional sorrow. For physical pain, use 'avoir mal'.

In speech, 'avoir du mal' is more common. In writing and news, 'peiner' is very frequent.

When it means 'to struggle to do something,' it needs 'à'. When it means 'to sadden someone,' it is transitive and needs no preposition.

'Peiner' focuses on how hard the task is. 'S'efforcer' focuses on the person's will to try hard.

Use the adverbial phrase 'à peine'. Example: 'Je l'ai à peine vu'.

Yes, it's very common to describe a motor struggling under a load or in the cold.

Yes, it follows the standard -er conjugation pattern (je peine, tu peines, etc.).

It means to put in a lot of effort or to take great care in doing something.

Yes, just like 'ça m'attriste que', it requires the subjunctive mood.

The noun 'peine' is used for legal sentences, but the verb 'peiner' is not typically a legal term.

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