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A2 adjective #6,000 más común 11 min de lectura

empiré

Worsened, made or become worse.

At the A1 level, you are just beginning to describe the world around you. While 'empiré' might seem a bit advanced, you can understand it as a way to say 'more bad' or 'got worse'. At this stage, you mostly use simple adjectives like 'mauvais' (bad) or 'pire' (worse). However, learning 'a empiré' allows you to talk about changes. For example, if you are sick, you can say 'Ça a empiré' to tell the doctor you feel worse today than yesterday. You don't need to worry about complex grammar yet; just remember that 'a empiré' means 'got worse'. Focus on using it with simple subjects like 'le temps' (the weather) or 'la douleur' (the pain). This helps you move beyond static descriptions and start talking about how things change over time, which is a big step in your French journey.
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At the A2 level, you are expected to describe events in the past and talk about your health and environment in more detail. 'Empiré' is a perfect word for this stage. You should start using it with the passé composé: 'La situation a empiré'. You should also be aware that it comes from the verb 'empirer'. At A2, you begin to see the difference between 'C'est pire' (It is worse - a state) and 'Ça a empiré' (It has worsened - an action that happened). You might use it to describe a trip where the weather got bad: 'Nous étions à la plage, mais le temps a empiré'. You are also learning to agree adjectives, so keep in mind that if you use 'empiré' as an adjective after a feminine noun like 'la situation', you might see it written as 'empirée' in books, though the pronunciation remains the same.
At the B1 level, you are becoming an independent speaker. You can now use 'empiré' to express opinions and describe more complex social or professional issues. You should be comfortable using it in various tenses, such as the plus-que-parfait: 'La situation avait déjà empiré quand je suis arrivé' (The situation had already worsened when I arrived). You should also start distinguishing between 'empirer' and 'aggraver'. Remember that 'empirer' is usually something that happens (intransitive), while 'aggraver' is something someone does (transitive). For example, 'Il a aggravé son cas' (He made his case worse) vs 'Son cas a empiré' (His case worsened). This level of precision is what examiners look for at B1. You can also use it to discuss news topics, like the economy or the environment, providing more nuanced commentary on current events.
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At the B2 level, you should have a firm grasp of the nuances of 'empiré'. You should be able to use it in formal arguments and essays. You might use it to describe the 'escalation' of a conflict or the 'deterioration' of an urban area. At this level, you should also be familiar with the reflexive form 's'empirer', which is common in spoken French, even if purists prefer the non-reflexive 'avoir empiré'. You can use it in conditional sentences: 'Si nous n'agissons pas, la crise va empirer'. You should also be able to pair it with sophisticated adverbs like 'irrépédiablement' (irreparably) or 'progressivement' (gradually). Your ability to use 'empiré' in a variety of contexts—from a technical report to a heated debate—shows that you have reached an upper-intermediate level of fluency.
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At the C1 level, you use 'empiré' with total precision and stylistic awareness. You understand its place in the broader lexical field of decline, alongside words like 'péricliter', 'dégénérer', and 's'étioler'. You can use 'empiré' in complex grammatical structures, such as the subjonctif: 'Il est regrettable que la situation ait ainsi empiré' (It is regrettable that the situation has worsened so much). You also recognize the word's presence in literary texts and high-level journalism, where it might be used metaphorically to describe the decay of values or the worsening of a philosophical crisis. At C1, you don't just use the word; you use it to create a specific tone—perhaps one of clinical detachment or somber reflection on the state of the world.
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At the C2 level, you have a native-like mastery of 'empiré'. You can play with the word, using it in irony or subtle rhetorical devices. You are aware of the historical evolution of the word and its relationship to other Romance languages. You can distinguish between the slight nuances of 's'est empiré' (focusing on the state) and 'a empiré' (focusing on the event) in a way that adds depth to your prose. You might use it in a doctoral thesis or a high-level diplomatic briefing to describe a 'situation empirée par des facteurs exogènes' (a situation worsened by exogenous factors). Your usage is effortless, and you can switch between formal and informal registers, knowing exactly when 'empiré' is the most effective choice to convey the gravity of a declining situation.
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Ejemplos

empiré en 30 segundos

  • Empiré means 'worsened' and is the past participle of the verb 'empirer'.
  • It is used to describe negative changes in health, weather, or social situations.
  • Commonly used with the auxiliary 'avoir' (e.g., 'la situation a empiré').
  • It differs from 'pire' (worse) because it implies a process of change over time.

The French word empiré is the past participle of the verb empirer, which functions as an adjective meaning 'worsened' or 'become worse'. At its core, it describes a negative progression—a movement from a state that was perhaps already bad to one that is significantly more problematic, painful, or complex. It is derived from the word pire (worse), which itself traces back to the Latin pejor. When you use empiré, you are not just saying something is bad; you are highlighting the process of deterioration that has already taken place. This word is essential for English speakers because while English often uses the simple 'got worse', French utilizes this specific verb-derived adjective to capture the essence of decline in various contexts ranging from health and weather to social and economic situations.

Medical Context
Used to describe a patient's health status when symptoms have intensified or new complications have arisen. For example, 'Son état de santé s'est empiré' (His health state has worsened).
Meteorological Context
Often heard in weather reports when a storm becomes more violent or visibility decreases. 'Le temps a empiré cet après-midi' (The weather worsened this afternoon).
Social and Political Context
Refers to crises, conflicts, or economic downturns that have become more severe over time. 'La situation diplomatique a empiré après le sommet' (The diplomatic situation worsened after the summit).

Depuis hier, la douleur dans mon genou a empiré malgré le repos.

Translation: Since yesterday, the pain in my knee has worsened despite rest.

Understanding the nuance of empiré requires recognizing that it is usually an intransitive verb in French, meaning it describes something that happens on its own rather than something someone does to something else. While in English you can 'worsen a situation' (transitive), in French, you would typically use aggraver for the transitive action and reserve empirer for the description of the state itself. However, in common parlance, you will frequently encounter empiré used in the passé composé to describe a finished state of decline. It carries a certain weight of inevitability, often used when external forces or the natural course of events lead to a less desirable outcome. For a learner, mastering this word means being able to accurately report changes in circumstances, which is a key skill in moving from basic A1 descriptions to more nuanced A2 and B1 storytelling and reporting.

Finally, it is worth noting the register. Empiré is neutral to slightly formal. It is perfectly acceptable in a professional email, a news broadcast, or a conversation with a doctor. It avoids the slanginess of phrases like 'ça craint' while remaining more accessible than highly literary terms like 'péricliter'. It is a versatile tool in your vocabulary kit that allows you to express frustration, concern, or factual observation about a declining state of affairs with precision and clarity.

Using empiré correctly involves understanding its grammatical role as a past participle. Because it comes from the verb empirer, it is most frequently used with the auxiliary verb avoir in the passé composé. However, there is a growing tendency in modern French to use it reflexively (s'empirer) with être, although traditional grammarians often prefer the non-reflexive form. For a student, sticking to 'avoir empiré' is the safest and most standard route. When used as an adjective directly after a noun or a linking verb, it must agree in gender and number with the subject it describes.

With Auxiliary 'Avoir'
This is the most common construction. 'La situation a empiré.' Note that the participle does not change because the subject follows 'avoir' without a preceding direct object. 'Les problèmes ont empiré.'
As a Pure Adjective
In this case, it follows the rules of agreement. 'Une situation empirée par la négligence' (A situation worsened by negligence). Here, 'empirée' is feminine singular to match 'situation'.
In the Negative
'Cela n'a pas empiré.' This is a very useful way to provide a cautiously optimistic update, suggesting that while things aren't better, they haven't gotten worse either.

Bien que nous ayons essayé de réparer la fuite, le dégât des eaux a empiré au cours de la nuit.

Translation: Although we tried to fix the leak, the water damage worsened during the night.

One of the most important distinctions to make is between empirer and s'aggraver. While they are often interchangeable, empirer is slightly more common in everyday speech for general situations, whereas s'aggraver is the go-to for medical or legal contexts. For instance, you would say 'Le temps empire' but 'Sa blessure s'aggrave'. However, using empiré in either context will be understood perfectly. Another key pattern is the use of 'faire' to express that something caused the worsening: 'Le vent a fait empirer l'incendie' (The wind made the fire worse).

Les relations entre les deux voisins se sont empirées après cette dispute inutile.

Translation: The relations between the two neighbors worsened after this useless argument.

To sound more natural, pay attention to the adverbs you pair with empiré. You might say 'nettement empiré' (clearly worsened) or 'considérablement empiré' (considerably worsened) to add emphasis. In a professional setting, you might report that 'la situation financière a empiré de façon alarmante' (the financial situation has worsened in an alarming way). This allows you to quantify the degree of worsening, which is essential for precise communication.

You will encounter empiré in a variety of real-world French environments. One of the most common places is the evening news (le journal de vingt heures). Journalists frequently use it to describe deteriorating international relations, economic inflation, or environmental crises. For example, a reporter might say, 'La crise migratoire a empiré ces derniers mois', signaling to the audience that the situation has reached a new level of severity. It is a staple of journalistic French because it is objective yet descriptive.

Le présentateur a annoncé que la tempête avait empiré sur la côte ouest.

Translation: The presenter announced that the storm had worsened on the west coast.

In the workplace, empiré is often used during project updates or performance reviews. If a project is falling behind or a technical bug has become more complex, a manager might note that the 'problème technique a empiré' after a failed update. It is a professional way to acknowledge a setback without being overly dramatic. In medical settings, you will hear doctors use it to describe the progression of a disease. If you are in a French hospital, a nurse might ask, 'Est-ce que la douleur a empiré ?' (Has the pain worsened?), which is a crucial question for diagnosis.

In Cinema and Literature
Characters in dramas often use this word to lament their fate. In a classic French film, a character might sigh, 'Tout a empiré depuis ton départ' (Everything has worsened since you left), adding a layer of melancholy to the dialogue.
In Daily Life
You'll hear it at the market when people talk about prices: 'Les prix n'ont fait qu'empirer cette année !' (Prices have done nothing but get worse this year!). It's a common phrase for communal grumbling about the economy.

Social media and online forums are also full of this word. On platforms like Twitter or Reddit (the French subreddits), users often discuss how certain services, games, or political situations have empiré over time. It is a key term in the 'critique' culture of the French-speaking internet. Whether it is a software update that added more bugs or a sequel to a movie that didn't live up to the original, empiré is the go-to term for expressing that the current state is inferior to the previous one.

Sur le forum, les utilisateurs se plaignent que la qualité du service a empiré récemment.

Translation: On the forum, users are complaining that the quality of service has worsened recently.

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make with empiré is confusing it with the adjective pire. While pire means 'worse' in a comparative sense (e.g., 'This is worse than that'), empiré specifically refers to the process of becoming worse. You cannot say 'C'est empiré' to mean 'It is worse'; you must say 'C'est pire'. You use empiré when you want to say 'It has worsened' (C'est empiré / Cela a empiré). This distinction is subtle but vital for sounding like a native speaker.

The 'Être' vs 'Avoir' Confusion
Many learners assume that because 'empirer' describes a change of state, it must take 'être'. In standard French, 'empirer' takes 'avoir'. Saying 'Je suis empiré' is incorrect; you should say 'Mon état a empiré' or, if using the reflexive form, 'Mon état s'est empiré'.
Transitive Usage
In English, you can 'worsen a situation'. In French, you generally cannot 'empirer une situation'. You should use 'aggraver une situation'. 'Empirer' is almost exclusively intransitive (something worsens on its own).

Il a empiré le problème.
Il a aggravé le problème.

Correct: He worsened (aggravated) the problem.

Another common error is the lack of agreement when empiré is used as an adjective or with the reflexive 'être'. Learners often forget to add the 'e' for feminine or 's' for plural subjects. If you are talking about 'les conditions' (feminine plural), the participle should be 'empirées'. Failing to do this is a classic mistake at the A2 and B1 levels. Furthermore, avoid using 'plus empiré' to mean 'more worsened'; simply use 'pire' or 'plus grave'.

Les tensions se sont empirées après le discours.

Note the 'es' at the end of 'empirées' to match 'tensions'.

Lastly, some learners try to use 'empiré' in place of 'diminué' or 'baissé'. While a worsening often involves a decrease (like a decrease in quality), 'empiré' specifically targets the quality or severity, not the quantity. If a stock price goes down, it 'baisse'; if the market stability goes down, it 'empire'. Choosing the right word based on what is actually changing is key to advanced fluency.

French offers a rich palette of words to describe things getting worse, and choosing the right one can significantly elevate your speaking and writing. While empiré is a great all-purpose word, you should also be familiar with its cousins. The most frequent alternative is aggravé. While empiré is often used for general situations, aggravé is preferred in medical, legal, and formal contexts. If a doctor says a condition has 'aggravé', it sounds more clinical than 'empiré'.

Aggravé vs Empiré
'Aggravé' is transitive (to make worse) and reflexive (to become worse). 'Empiré' is mostly intransitive. Use 'aggravé' when an action caused the decline: 'La pluie a aggravé l'érosion'.
Détérioré
This word specifically refers to the physical breakdown of an object or the gradual decline of a relationship. 'Le bâtiment s'est détérioré avec le temps' (The building deteriorated over time).
S'envenimer
Literally 'to become poisonous'. Used for arguments or wounds that are becoming infected or much more bitter. 'La dispute s'est envenimée' (The argument turned sour/toxic).

L'état de la route s'est détérioré à cause du gel, ce qui a empiré les conditions de circulation.

Example showing both 'détérioré' (physical) and 'empiré' (situational).

For more literary or dramatic flair, you might use péricliter, which describes a slow, terminal decline, often of a business, an empire, or someone's health. If a company is 'en train de péricliter', it is on its last legs. Another useful term is dégénérer, which is perfect for when a situation loses control and becomes chaotic. 'La manifestation a dégénéré' (The protest spiraled out of control). While empiré describes the result, dégénérer describes the chaotic process.

Le débat a dégénéré en une bagarre générale, ce qui a empiré l'image du parti.

Translation: The debate degenerated into a general brawl, which worsened the party's image.
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Ejemplos por nivel

1

Le temps a empiré.

The weather worsened.

Subject + auxiliary 'avoir' + past participle.

2

Ma douleur a empiré.

My pain worsened.

Simple past tense using 'avoir'.

3

C'est pire, ça a empiré.

It is worse, it has worsened.

Comparison of 'pire' (adjective) and 'empiré' (past participle).

4

Le froid a empiré hier soir.

The cold worsened last night.

Time indicator 'hier soir' with passé composé.

5

La situation a un peu empiré.

The situation worsened a little.

Using 'un peu' to qualify the degree of worsening.

6

Est-ce que ça a empiré ?

Did it get worse?

Question formation with 'est-ce que'.

7

Mon rhume a empiré ce matin.

My cold worsened this morning.

Subject 'mon rhume' (masculine singular).

8

Le bruit a empiré dans la rue.

The noise worsened in the street.

Prepositional phrase 'dans la rue' adding context.

1

Son état de santé a empiré pendant la nuit.

His health state worsened during the night.

Using 'pendant' to show duration.

2

La circulation a empiré à cause de la pluie.

Traffic worsened because of the rain.

Using 'à cause de' to explain the reason.

3

Les problèmes ont empiré depuis son départ.

The problems have worsened since his departure.

Plural subject 'les problèmes', but 'empiré' remains unchanged with 'avoir'.

4

La qualité du service a empiré ici.

The quality of service has worsened here.

Subject 'la qualité' (feminine singular).

5

L'économie a empiré cette année.

The economy worsened this year.

Passé composé with a time expression.

6

Malheureusement, la blessure a empiré.

Unfortunately, the injury worsened.

Adverb 'malheureusement' at the start of the sentence.

7

Le conflit entre les deux amis a empiré.

The conflict between the two friends worsened.

Abstract subject 'le conflit'.

8

La situation s'est empirée avec le temps.

The situation worsened over time.

Reflexive form 's'est empirée' with agreement.

1

Si nous ne faisons rien, la crise va empirer.

If we do nothing, the crisis will worsen.

Futur proche used to predict a worsening.

2

L'ambiance au bureau avait empiré avant la réunion.

The atmosphere at the office had worsened before the meeting.

Plus-que-parfait showing an action before another past action.

3

Il semble que la situation ait empiré récemment.

It seems that the situation has worsened recently.

Subjonctif passé after 'il semble que'.

4

Le retard a empiré à cause d'une panne technique.

The delay worsened because of a technical breakdown.

Technical context for B1 level.

5

La pollution a empiré dans les grandes villes.

Pollution has worsened in large cities.

Discussing environmental issues.

6

Le manque de personnel a fait empirer les choses.

The lack of staff made things worse.

Causative construction 'faire' + infinitive.

7

Bien que l'on ait essayé d'aider, tout a empiré.

Although we tried to help, everything worsened.

Concession clause with 'bien que'.

8

Les tensions sociales se sont empirées ce mois-ci.

Social tensions worsened this month.

Reflexive form with feminine plural agreement.

1

La situation humanitaire a empiré de manière dramatique.

The humanitarian situation has worsened dramatically.

Using 'de manière' + adjective for emphasis.

2

Le déficit budgétaire n'a fait qu'empirer cette décennie.

The budget deficit has done nothing but worsen this decade.

Idiomatic 'ne faire que' construction.

3

Les relations diplomatiques ont empiré après l'incident.

Diplomatic relations worsened after the incident.

Formal international context.

4

On craint que la sécheresse ne fasse qu'empirer.

It is feared that the drought will only get worse.

Subjunctive with 'ne explétif' after a verb of fear.

5

La crise du logement s'est empirée dans la capitale.

The housing crisis has worsened in the capital.

Reflexive usage in a socio-economic context.

6

Sans intervention, l'infection risque d'empirer.

Without intervention, the infection is likely to worsen.

Using 'risquer de' to express negative possibility.

7

Les inégalités se sont empirées malgré les réformes.

Inequalities have worsened despite the reforms.

Contrastive 'malgré' with reflexive verb.

8

Le climat de méfiance n'a cessé d'empirer.

The climate of mistrust has not stopped worsening.

Formal 'ne cesser de' + infinitive.

1

L'instabilité politique a empiré, menant à une impasse.

Political instability has worsened, leading to a deadlock.

Present participle 'menant' used as a resultative.

2

La dégradation de l'environnement s'est empirée irréversiblement.

Environmental degradation has worsened irreversibly.

Sophisticated adverb 'irréversiblement'.

3

Il est impératif d'agir avant que le mal ne s'empire.

It is imperative to act before the evil/ill worsens.

Subjunctive with 'avant que' and 'ne explétif'.

4

Le ressentiment populaire a empiré au fil des années.

Popular resentment has worsened over the years.

Temporal expression 'au fil des années'.

5

La situation sécuritaire a empiré dans les zones de conflit.

The security situation has worsened in conflict zones.

Adjective 'sécuritaire' common in high-level French.

6

Le clivage idéologique n'a fait qu'empirer le débat public.

The ideological rift has only worsened public debate.

Abstract nouns 'clivage' and 'débat public'.

7

L'érosion de la confiance a empiré les rapports sociaux.

The erosion of trust has worsened social relations.

Metaphorical use of 'érosion'.

8

La situation s'est empirée au point de devenir intenable.

The situation worsened to the point of becoming untenable.

Consecutive construction 'au point de'.

1

L'entropie du système a empiré, provoquant son effondrement.

The entropy of the system worsened, causing its collapse.

Scientific/Philosophical context using 'entropie'.

2

Que la situation ait empiré n'est guère surprenant.

That the situation has worsened is hardly surprising.

Subject clause in the subjunctive at the start of the sentence.

3

Le malaise social s'est empiré, exacerbé par la précarité.

Social unease has worsened, exacerbated by precariousness.

Past participle 'exacerbé' used as an appositive.

4

L'obsolescence programmée a empiré l'impact écologique.

Planned obsolescence has worsened the ecological impact.

Complex socio-economic term 'obsolescence programmée'.

5

La situation s'est empirée, au grand dam des observateurs.

The situation worsened, much to the dismay of observers.

Idiomatic expression 'au grand dam de'.

6

L'atrophie des institutions n'a fait qu'empirer la crise.

The atrophy of institutions has only worsened the crisis.

Metaphorical 'atrophie'.

7

Les tensions se sont empirées, frôlant la rupture diplomatique.

Tensions worsened, bordering on a diplomatic rupture.

Present participle 'frôlant' indicating proximity.

8

Le déclin cognitif s'est empiré de façon exponentielle.

Cognitive decline has worsened exponentially.

Medical/Scientific adverb 'exponentiellement'.

Colocaciones comunes

la situation a empiré
son état a empiré
le temps a empiré
ne faire qu'empirer
empiré par la négligence
considérablement empiré
nettement empiré
faire empirer les choses
la crise a empiré
les tensions ont empiré

Frases Comunes

Ça ne fait qu'empirer.

La situation s'est empirée.

Faire empirer la situation.

L'état du malade a empiré.

Le temps va empirer.

Tout a empiré.

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