physiquement
When you're talking about something related to the body or how someone looks, you'll often use the French adverb physiquement.
Think of it as the English equivalent of "physically." So, if you want to say someone is physically strong, you'd use physiquement fort. Or if you're discussing how a place has changed physically, you'd say it has changed physiquement.
It's a straightforward word that helps you describe things in terms of their physical attributes or appearance.
When you're talking about something related to the body or in a physical way, you can use the French adverb physiquement. It's quite similar to its English counterpart, "physically."
For instance, if someone is not feeling well, you might say they are "physiquement fatigué" (physically tired). Or, if you're describing an action that involves your body, like moving an object, you could say "J'ai déplacé la boîte physiquement" (I physically moved the box).
It’s a straightforward word that helps describe how an action is performed or the state of a person's body.
§ Understanding "physiquement"
The French adverb "physiquement" is quite straightforward, but knowing its nuances will help you use it like a pro. It directly translates to "physically" in English and refers to anything related to the body or the physical aspect of something. Think about how you use "physically" in English – "physically demanding," "physically tired," "physically fit." It's the same idea in French.
§ Basic Placement of "physiquement"
As an adverb, "physiquement" usually modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. It often comes after the verb it modifies or before the adjective/adverb it's describing.
§ Modifying a Verb
When "physiquement" modifies a verb, it generally comes after the conjugated verb or the auxiliary verb in compound tenses.
Il ne peut pas physiquement soulever cette boîte.
- Hint
- He cannot physically lift this box.
Elle se sent physiquement faible après la maladie.
- Hint
- She feels physically weak after the illness.
Il a été physiquement agressé.
- Hint
- He was physically assaulted.
§ Modifying an Adjective or another Adverb
When "physiquement" modifies an adjective or another adverb, it usually precedes it.
C'est un travail physiquement exigeant.
- Hint
- It's a physically demanding job.
Il est physiquement très fort.
- Hint
- He is physically very strong.
§ "Physiquement" and Prepositions
"Physiquement" itself is an adverb, so it doesn't directly take prepositions in the way nouns do. However, it can be part of phrases that include prepositions to provide more context. You won't say "avec physiquement," for example. Instead, it will modify how someone is doing something or feeling, and the preposition would relate to other parts of the sentence.
§ Common Uses and Expressions
Here are some common ways you'll hear and use "physiquement" in French, often mirroring English usage:
- Être physiquement capable/incapable de faire quelque chose: To be physically capable/incapable of doing something.
- Hint
- I am not physically capable of running a marathon.
- Se sentir physiquement bien/mal: To feel physically good/bad.
- Hint
- How do you feel physically today?
- Développement physique: Physical development (often implied that it's physically).
- Hint
- Sport is essential for children's physical development.
Je ne suis pas physiquement capable de courir un marathon.
Comment te sens-tu physiquement aujourd'hui ?
Le sport est essentiel pour le développement physique des enfants.
§ Practice makes perfect
The best way to get comfortable with "physiquement" is to use it! Try to create your own sentences, thinking about when you would use "physically" in English and then translating that idea into French. You'll quickly see how natural and useful this adverb is.
§ Don't confuse it with "physique"
This is a big one. Many English speakers see "physiquement" and immediately think of "physique" (like someone's body shape or build). While related, they're not interchangeable. "Physiquement" is an adverb, meaning "physically." "Physique" can be an adjective (meaning "physical") or a noun (meaning "physique" or "physics").
- Wrong:
- Il est très physique fatigué. (He is very physique tired.)
This doesn't make sense in French. You wouldn't say "he is very physique tired" in English either. You want to describe how he is tired.
- Right:
- Il est très physiquement fatigué. (He is very physically tired.)
§ Overusing it when a simpler word works
Sometimes, English speakers try to translate phrases too directly. While "physiquement" is correct in many situations, sometimes there's a more natural, simpler French way to say it.
- Less natural:
- Elle a été physiquement blessée. (She was physically injured.)
While not strictly wrong, often French would simply say:
Elle a été blessée. (She was injured. - implying physically unless otherwise specified.)
Or, if you want to emphasize the physical aspect, you might use an adjective:
Elle a des blessures physiques. (She has physical injuries.)
§ Incorrect placement in a sentence
Like many adverbs in French, "physiquement" generally comes after the verb it modifies in simple tenses, and between the auxiliary verb and the past participle in compound tenses.
- Wrong:
- Je physiquement me sens bien. (I physically feel good.)
- Right (simple tense):
- Je me sens physiquement bien. (I feel physically good.)
- Wrong (compound tense):
- Elle a marché physiquement beaucoup. (She walked physically a lot.)
- Right (compound tense):
- Elle a physiquement beaucoup marché. (She has physically walked a lot.)
§ Using it for mental or emotional states
"Physiquement" strictly refers to the body. Don't use it to describe mental or emotional states. For those, you'd use other adverbs like "mentalement" (mentally) or "émotionnellement" (emotionally).
- Wrong:
- Il est physiquement perturbé par la nouvelle. (He is physically disturbed by the news.)
Unless the news literally caused him physical illness, you'd say:
Il est mentalement perturbé par la nouvelle. (He is mentally disturbed by the news.)
Or even simply:
La nouvelle l'a perturbé. (The news disturbed him.)
Aussprachehilfe
- Mispronouncing the 'y' as a hard 'i' sound.
- Not nasalizing the 'an' sound correctly.
Schwierigkeitsgrad
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Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest
Voraussetzungen
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Fortgeschritten
Wichtige Grammatik
Adverbs typically follow the verb they modify.
Il est physiquement fatigué. (He is physically tired.)
When an adverb modifies an adjective or another adverb, it usually precedes it.
Elle est très physiquement active. (She is very physically active.)
In compound tenses (like passé composé), adverbs of manner often come between the auxiliary verb and the past participle.
Nous avons physiquement aidé nos amis. (We physically helped our friends.)
Adverbs like 'physiquement' can be used to describe actions or states related to the body or physical effort.
Le travail était physiquement exigeant. (The work was physically demanding.)
The position of an adverb can sometimes change depending on emphasis, but generally, 'physiquement' maintains a consistent placement.
Physiquement, il ne peut pas le faire. (Physically, he cannot do it.)
Beispiele nach Niveau
Il est fatigué physiquement après le sport.
He is physically tired after sports.
Elle ne se sent pas bien physiquement aujourd'hui.
She doesn't feel well physically today.
C'est difficile physiquement de courir un marathon.
It's physically difficult to run a marathon.
Le travail est physiquement exigeant.
The work is physically demanding.
Il faut être fort physiquement pour soulever ça.
You need to be physically strong to lift that.
Les enfants grandissent physiquement très vite.
Children grow physically very fast.
La danse est bonne pour le corps, elle est physiquement bénéfique.
Dancing is good for the body, it is physically beneficial.
Après la maladie, il doit se reposer physiquement.
After the illness, he needs to rest physically.
Elle se sentait physiquement épuisée après la longue marche.
She felt physically exhausted after the long walk.
Here, 'physiquement' modifies the past participle 'épuisée'.
Les enfants sont très actifs physiquement; ils aiment courir et sauter.
Children are very active physically; they love to run and jump.
'Physiquement' modifies the adjective 'actifs'.
Il n'est pas physiquement capable de soulever cette charge lourde.
He is not physically capable of lifting that heavy load.
Used with 'capable de' to express physical ability.
Le travail manuel peut être très exigeant physiquement.
Manual labor can be very demanding physically.
Modifies the adjective 'exigeant'.
Malgré la douleur, il a décidé de continuer physiquement.
Despite the pain, he decided to continue physically.
Describes the manner of continuing an action.
Elle a besoin de se reposer physiquement après son opération.
She needs to rest physically after her operation.
'Physiquement' clarifies the type of rest needed.
Les sportifs de haut niveau s'entraînent physiquement tous les jours.
High-level athletes train physically every day.
Modifies the verb 's'entraînent'.
Il était physiquement présent, mais son esprit était ailleurs.
He was physically present, but his mind was elsewhere.
Contrasts physical presence with mental state.
Elle se sentait physiquement épuisée après la longue randonnée en montagne.
She felt physically exhausted after the long mountain hike.
Here, 'physiquement' modifies the adjective 'épuisée' (exhausted).
Les sportifs de haut niveau doivent être physiquement et mentalement préparés pour la compétition.
High-level athletes must be physically and mentally prepared for competition.
'Physiquement' and 'mentalement' are adverbs modifying 'préparés' (prepared).
Il n'est pas physiquement capable de soulever des charges aussi lourdes.
He is not physically capable of lifting such heavy loads.
'Physiquement' modifies the adjective 'capable'.
Après sa maladie, elle s'est efforcée de retrouver sa force physiquement.
After her illness, she tried hard to regain her strength physically.
'Physiquement' specifies the manner in which she regained strength.
Le travail manuel peut être très exigeant physiquement.
Manual labor can be very demanding physically.
Here, 'physiquement' modifies the adjective 'exigeant' (demanding).
Bien qu'il soit âgé, il est encore très actif physiquement.
Although he is old, he is still very active physically.
'Physiquement' modifies the adjective 'actif' (active).
Le concert était si énergique que nous étions tous physiquement transpirants à la fin.
The concert was so energetic that we were all physically sweating by the end.
'Physiquement' emphasizes the physical aspect of sweating.
Cette tâche demande beaucoup de concentration et de persévérance, mais n'est pas physiquement difficile.
This task requires a lot of concentration and perseverance, but is not physically difficult.
'Physiquement' modifies the adjective 'difficile' (difficult).
Malgré son âge avancé, elle est encore physiquement très active et pratique la randonnée chaque semaine.
Despite her advanced age, she is still physically very active and goes hiking every week.
Le travail manuel peut être physiquement exigeant, mais il procure aussi une grande satisfaction.
Manual labor can be physically demanding, but it also brings great satisfaction.
Après une longue maladie, il se sent enfin physiquement capable de reprendre le sport.
After a long illness, he finally feels physically capable of resuming sports.
La danse est une activité qui sollicite physiquement tout le corps et améliore la coordination.
Dance is an activity that physically engages the whole body and improves coordination.
Il est important de s'échauffer correctement pour éviter de se blesser physiquement pendant l'exercice.
It's important to warm up properly to avoid physically injuring yourself during exercise.
Bien qu'il ait été éprouvé mentalement, il est resté physiquement indemne après l'accident.
Although he was mentally shaken, he remained physically unharmed after the accident.
Les athlètes de haut niveau doivent être physiquement et mentalement préparés pour la compétition.
High-level athletes must be physically and mentally prepared for competition.
Le manque de sommeil peut affecter non seulement votre humeur, mais aussi vous fatiguer physiquement.
Lack of sleep can affect not only your mood but also make you physically tired.
Redewendungen & Ausdrücke
"être physiquement apte"
To be physically fit/able
Elle s'entraîne tous les jours pour être physiquement apte pour la compétition. (She trains every day to be physically fit for the competition.)
neutral"se sentir physiquement bien/mal"
To feel physically well/unwell
Après la grippe, il ne se sentait pas encore physiquement très bien. (After the flu, he still didn't feel very well physically.)
neutral"être physiquement présent"
To be physically present
Il était physiquement présent à la réunion, mais son esprit était ailleurs. (He was physically present at the meeting, but his mind was elsewhere.)
neutral"être physiquement fatigué"
To be physically tired
Après cette longue randonnée, je suis physiquement fatigué. (After this long hike, I am physically tired.)
neutral"travailler physiquement"
To do physical labor
Il préfère travailler physiquement plutôt que de rester assis toute la journée. (He prefers to do physical labor rather than sitting all day.)
neutral"être physiquement attiré par quelqu'un"
To be physically attracted to someone
Elle n'était pas seulement attirée par sa personnalité, mais aussi physiquement. (She wasn't only attracted to his personality, but physically as well.)
neutral"la violence physiquement"
Physical violence
La loi interdit toute forme de violence physiquement. (The law prohibits all forms of physical violence.)
formal"se défendre physiquement"
To defend oneself physically
En cas d'agression, il est important de savoir se défendre physiquement. (In case of aggression, it is important to know how to defend oneself physically.)
neutral"être diminué physiquement"
To be physically impaired/weakened
Après l'accident, il était un peu diminué physiquement. (After the accident, he was a bit physically impaired.)
neutral"ne pas pouvoir physiquement"
To be physically unable to
Elle aimerait venir, mais elle ne peut pas physiquement à cause de son mal de dos. (She would like to come, but she is physically unable to because of her back pain.)
neutralTipps
Basic use of 'physiquement'
You'll often hear 'physiquement' when talking about someone's physical state. For example, 'Il est fatigué physiquement' means 'He is physically tired'.
Physiquement vs. mentally
It's common to contrast 'physiquement' with 'mentalement' (mentally). So, 'Elle est forte physiquement et mentalement' means 'She is strong physically and mentally'.
Talking about appearance
You can use 'physiquement' to describe someone's physical appearance. For instance, 'Il a changé physiquement' means 'He has changed physically'.
Actions that are physical
When an action requires bodily effort, 'physiquement' fits. 'Ce travail est exigeant physiquement' translates to 'This work is physically demanding'.
Limitations
If you're talking about physical limitations, 'physiquement' is useful. 'Je ne peux pas le faire physiquement' means 'I can't do it physically'.
Feeling unwell
To express feeling unwell in your body, you can say 'Je ne me sens pas bien physiquement', meaning 'I don't feel well physically'.
Adverb placement
Like many adverbs, 'physiquement' often comes after the verb it modifies. 'Il est blessé physiquement' (He is physically injured).
Don't confuse with 'physique'
'Physiquement' is an adverb, while 'physique' is an adjective (physical) or a noun (physics/physique). Don't mix them up! For example, 'un examen physique' (a physical examination).
Talking about impact
You can use it to describe how something affects the body. 'Le sport est bon physiquement' means 'Sport is good physically'.
In sports contexts
In sports, you'll hear 'physiquement' often to describe a player's condition or readiness. 'L'équipe est prête physiquement' (The team is physically ready).
Teste dich selbst 6 Fragen
Choose the sentence where 'physiquement' is used correctly to describe a physical action or state.
'Physiquement' here refers to her physical strength, a direct bodily attribute enhanced by training.
In which sentence does 'physiquement' best describe someone's appearance?
Here, 'physiquement' directly relates to her physical attractiveness and appearance.
Select the sentence where 'physiquement' indicates a direct physical impact or sensation.
The exhaustion is a direct physical sensation and state resulting from the strenuous activity.
If someone says 'Il ne se sentait pas bien physiquement,' it means they were feeling unwell in their body.
'Ne se sentir pas bien physiquement' directly translates to 'not feeling well physically,' referring to bodily health.
The phrase 'être physiquement présent' always implies a strong emotional engagement.
'Être physiquement présent' simply means being there in person; it doesn't necessarily imply emotional engagement, as one can be physically present but mentally absent.
When describing a task as 'physiquement demandeur,' it suggests the task requires significant mental effort rather than bodily exertion.
'Physiquement demandeur' means physically demanding, implying a requirement for significant bodily exertion, not primarily mental effort.
/ 6 correct
Perfect score!
Basic use of 'physiquement'
You'll often hear 'physiquement' when talking about someone's physical state. For example, 'Il est fatigué physiquement' means 'He is physically tired'.
Physiquement vs. mentally
It's common to contrast 'physiquement' with 'mentalement' (mentally). So, 'Elle est forte physiquement et mentalement' means 'She is strong physically and mentally'.
Talking about appearance
You can use 'physiquement' to describe someone's physical appearance. For instance, 'Il a changé physiquement' means 'He has changed physically'.
Actions that are physical
When an action requires bodily effort, 'physiquement' fits. 'Ce travail est exigeant physiquement' translates to 'This work is physically demanding'.
Beispiel
Il se sentait physiquement épuisé après le marathon.
Verwandte Inhalte
Mehr health Wörter
à condition de
B1On condition that; provided that.
à court terme
B1Short-term, over a short period of time.
à jeun
B1On an empty stomach, before eating.
à l'abri
B1Sheltered; safe from danger or harm.
à l'aide de
A2With the help of, by means of.
à l'encontre de
B1Against; contrary to (e.g., advice, rules).
à l'hôpital
B1Located or being in a hospital.
à long terme
B1Long-term, over a long period of time.
à risque
B1At risk of harm, illness, or danger.
à titre
B1As a (e.g., as a preventive measure); by way of.
