When we talk about making someone sad, in French we use the verb "attrister." It's quite direct and means to cause sadness to someone.
For example, if a piece of bad news makes your friend sad, you could say, "La mauvaise nouvelle l'a attristé."
You can also use it reflexively, "s'attrister," which means to become sad. So, "Elle s'attriste facilement" means "She gets sad easily."
It's a useful verb to express the idea of causing or experiencing sadness.
Ejemplos por nivel
La nouvelle de son départ m'a profondément attristé.
The news of his departure deeply saddened me.
Here, 'attrister' is used reflexively with 'm'' (me) indicating the subject is affected.
Il est difficile de ne pas s'attrister face à une telle injustice.
It's difficult not to be saddened by such injustice.
'S'attrister' is a pronominal verb, meaning 'to become sad' or 'to feel sad'.
Les images de la famine attristent le monde entier.
The images of famine sadden the entire world.
In this active voice construction, 'les images' is the subject causing sadness.
Son silence prolongé a attristé ses amis.
His prolonged silence saddened his friends.
'A attristé' is the passé composé, indicating a past action with present relevance.
Ne t'attriste pas pour si peu, la vie continue.
Don't be sad about so little, life goes on.
This is an imperative, giving advice. 'Ne t'attriste pas' is the negative command form of the pronominal verb.
Le temps pluvieux a la capacité d'attrister certaines personnes.
Rainy weather has the ability to make some people sad.
'A la capacité d'attrister' shows the potential for sadness.
Ce film, bien que beau, m'a attristé par sa fin tragique.
This film, although beautiful, saddened me with its tragic end.
Another example of the reflexive form in the passé composé.
Les nouvelles économiques continuent d'attrister les marchés financiers.
The economic news continues to sadden the financial markets.
Here, 'attrister' is used in the present tense to describe an ongoing effect.
Se confunde a menudo con
This means 'to be sad', describing a state, not an action of making someone sad.
This means 'to feel sorrow' or 'to be sad', again, describing a personal feeling rather than an action of causing sadness in another.
This means 'to cry', which is an action that can result from being sad, but isn't the act of making someone else sad.
Fácil de confundir
Both relate to sadness, but 'triste' is an adjective meaning 'sad'.
'Attrister' is a verb (to make sad), while 'triste' is an adjective (sad).
Il est triste. (He is sad.) / Cela l'attriste. (That makes him sad.)
This is the reflexive form of 'attrister'.
'Attrister' means 'to make someone else sad'. 'S'attrister' means 'to become sad oneself' or 'to be saddened'.
Elle s'attriste facilement. (She gets sad easily.)
This is another way to express making someone sad.
'Attrister' is a single verb. 'Rendre triste' uses 'rendre' (to make) + 'triste' (sad). They are often interchangeable, but 'attrister' is more concise.
Cela me rend triste. (That makes me sad.)
Both involve negative emotions, but the cause is different.
'Attrister' is about general sadness. 'Décevoir' means 'to disappoint'. Disappointment can lead to sadness, but they are not the same emotion.
Il m'a déçu. (He disappointed me.)
Similar in that both can describe a negative feeling someone causes.
'Attrister' means 'to make sad'. 'Ennuyer' means 'to bore' or 'to annoy'.
Ce livre m'ennuie. (This book bores me.)
Memorízalo
Mnemotecnia
Think of 'a tristesse' (a sadness). 'Attrister' is like 'to give someone a sadness.'
Asociación visual
Imagine a sad person sitting on a 'triste' (sad) tree stump. The word 'attrister' makes you see the sadness.
Word Web
Desafío
Describe three things that 'attristez' (make you sad). For example: 'Les mauvaises nouvelles m'attristent.' (Bad news makes me sad.)
Ponte a prueba 6 preguntas
Write a sentence describing something that might make a child sad. Use 'attrister'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
La pluie peut attrister un enfant qui veut jouer dehors. (The rain can make a child who wants to play outside sad.)
Describe a situation where a friend's words could make someone sad. Use 'attrister'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Les mots durs d'un ami peuvent vraiment attrister quelqu'un. (A friend's harsh words can really make someone sad.)
Imagine you see a sad pet. Write a sentence explaining what might be making it sad. Use 'attrister'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
La solitude peut attrister un petit chien. (Loneliness can make a small dog sad.)
Pourquoi son amie est-elle triste?
Read this passage:
Mon amie a perdu son chat hier. Cela va l'attrister beaucoup. Elle aimait son chat. Maintenant, elle est seule à la maison.
Pourquoi son amie est-elle triste?
The passage says, 'Mon amie a perdu son chat hier. Cela va l'attrister beaucoup.' (My friend lost her cat yesterday. That will make her very sad.)
The passage says, 'Mon amie a perdu son chat hier. Cela va l'attrister beaucoup.' (My friend lost her cat yesterday. That will make her very sad.)
Qu'est-ce qui a attristé les gens?
Read this passage:
Le film que nous avons regardé était très triste. Il a attristé tout le monde dans la salle. Beaucoup de personnes ont pleuré à la fin.
Qu'est-ce qui a attristé les gens?
The passage states, 'Le film que nous avons regardé était très triste. Il a attristé tout le monde.' (The film we watched was very sad. It made everyone sad.)
The passage states, 'Le film que nous avons regardé était très triste. Il a attristé tout le monde.' (The film we watched was very sad. It made everyone sad.)
Qu'est-ce qui a attristé sa famille?
Read this passage:
Il ne voulait pas partir, mais il devait. Son départ a attristé sa famille. Ils vont lui manquer.
Qu'est-ce qui a attristé sa famille?
The passage says, 'Son départ a attristé sa famille.' (His departure made his family sad.)
The passage says, 'Son départ a attristé sa famille.' (His departure made his family sad.)
/ 6 correct
Perfect score!
Contenido relacionado
Frases relacionadas
Más palabras de emotions
à contrecœur
B1Against one's will; reluctantly.
à fleur de peau
B1Oversensitive; easily affected emotionally.
à la fois
B1At the same time; simultaneously.
à l'aise
A2Feeling comfortable, relaxed, or at ease.
à regret
B1With regret; reluctantly.
abandon
B1The action or fact of abandoning someone or something; abandonment (can be emotional).
abasourdi
B1Stunned, dumbfounded, greatly astonished or shocked.
abattement
A2A state of extreme dejection; despondency.
abattu
A2In low spirits; disheartened; dejected.
abominable
B1Causing moral revulsion; detestable.
