Ennemi (or its feminine form, ennemie) is the most common way to say “enemy” in French. But the language of Molière offers a much richer palette to describe those we're not so fond of.

As you navigate French culture through books, films, or real-life conversations, you'll encounter various shades of opposition. Not every adversary is a mortal foe, and not every rival is an outright enemy.

Let’s dive into the nuances and explore nine ways to talk about an “enemy” in French, from formal adversaries to playground nemeses!

The standard 'enemy' – ennemi/ennemie

Ennemi(e) is the most direct, standard, and common word for “enemy” in French. It’s a strong word that implies true animosity or conflict and is used in both formal and informal contexts.

Just like its opposite, ami, the word ennemi must agree in gender and number with the person or people it describes:

ennemi - a male enemy
ennemie - a female enemy
ennemis - more than one male enemy or a group of male and female enemies
ennemies - more than one female enemy

This term is reserved for a true adversary. You will typically see it used in serious situations like war (l'ennemi), political opposition, or deep-seated personal feuds. It is not used for a simple rival in a game or a competitor in business.

Ennemi is also frequently used in a figurative sense to describe an abstract obstacle or a harmful concept. For example, one might say that laziness is the enemy of progress.

Beyond its use as a noun, ennemi can also function as an adjective meaning “hostile” or relating to the enemy. In this form, it also agrees with the noun it modifies. For example: les forces ennemies (the enemy forces) or un territoire ennemi (an enemy territory).

💡 * Le roi a vaincu ses ennemis au combat. (The king defeated his enemies in battle.)

Elle a juré qu'il serait son ennemi pour la vie. (She swore he would be her enemy for life.)

Le sucre est considéré comme l'ennemi public numéro un pour la santé. (Sugar is considered public enemy number one for health.)

Nous avons traversé les lignes ennemies pendant la nuit. (We crossed the enemy lines during the night.)

Ne te fais pas d'ennemis, la vie est trop courte. (Don't make enemies, life is too short.)

The 'adversary' or 'opponent' – un/une adversaire

A key term for any form of competition in French is un/une adversaire, which directly translates to 'adversary' or 'opponent'.

An adversaire is the person or group you are competing against in a specific context, such as a game, a debate, or a political race. The term is generally neutral and does not imply personal hatred or malice, unlike ennemi (enemy).

Grammatically, adversaire is an epicene noun. This means the word itself doesn't change, but the article before it reveals the gender: un adversaire for a male opponent and une adversaire for a female opponent.

This word is extremely common in sports. A coach might tell their team, 'Ne sous-estimez pas votre adversaire' (Don't underestimate your opponent). It refers to the other player or team you are competing against for a win.

Beyond the playing field, you'll hear adversaire used in formal contexts like politics and intellectual discussions. A politician might refer to their rival from another party as their adversaire politique during an election.

The most important distinction is between adversaire and ennemi. You can respect your adversaire and even be friends outside of the competition. An ennemi (enemy), however, is someone with whom you have a serious, hostile conflict.

💡 * L'équipe a battu son adversaire par trois buts à un.

Elle est une adversaire redoutable aux échecs.

Le candidat a salué son adversaire après le débat.

Il faut toujours respecter son adversaire, même dans la défaite.

The 'rival' – un rival/une rivale

The words un rival or une rivale are likely to look very familiar to English speakers. As a direct cognate, this term translates to "a rival" and is used in almost identical contexts, making it an easy one to learn and use correctly.

A rival is a person, team, or organization competing with another for the same objective or for superiority in the same field. This competition can be found in sports, business, politics, or even personal relationships.

It's crucial to know the different forms of this noun, especially the irregular masculine plural:

Masculine singular: un rival
Feminine singular: une rivale
Masculine plural: des rivaux
Feminine plural: des rivales

While similar to un concurrent (a competitor), un rival often implies a more intense, direct, and sometimes personal or long-standing competition. The term can carry a stronger emotional weight than the more neutral concurrent.

💡 * Les deux équipes de football sont des rivales historiques. (The two football teams are historic rivals.)

Elle a toujours été ma plus grande rivale aux échecs. (She has always been my biggest rival in chess.)

L'entreprise voit ce nouveau venu comme un sérieux rival. (The company sees this newcomer as a serious rival.)

Ils étaient rivaux en amour mais sont restés amis. (They were rivals in love but remained friends.)

The 'sworn enemy' – un ennemi juré

To express the idea of a 'sworn enemy' in French, you use the dramatic and formal phrase un ennemi juré.

The term literally translates to 'a sworn enemy.' The word juré is the past participle of the verb jurer, which means 'to swear' an oath. This highlights a deep, declared, and often long-standing hostility.

This expression is typically used to describe a serious, irreconcilable rivalry between individuals, groups, or even fictional characters like a hero and their arch-nemesis. It conveys a much stronger sense of conflict than a simple ennemi (enemy).

For a female sworn enemy, the phrase changes to its feminine form: une ennemie jurée. Both the noun and the adjective must agree in gender.

💡 * Depuis la compétition, il est devenu mon ennemi juré. (Since the competition, he has become my sworn enemy.)

Les deux entreprises sont des ennemis jurés sur le marché. (The two companies are sworn enemies in the market.)

Elle a toujours considéré cette critique comme son ennemie jurée. (She has always considered that critic her sworn enemy.)

Dans l'histoire, le roi et son cousin étaient des ennemis jurés. (In the story, the king and his cousin were sworn enemies.)

The 'nemesis' or 'arch-enemy' – la bête noire

The expression la bête noire literally translates to 'the black beast'.

Figuratively, la bête noire refers to a person's main source of trouble, annoyance, or fear. It's the equivalent of a 'nemesis,' 'pet peeve,' or 'Achilles' heel.'

This idiom is incredibly versatile. It can be used for a person you dislike, a school subject you struggle with, a task you hate, or a recurring problem.

The phrase is always feminine. You would say ma bête noire (my nemesis), ta bête noire (your nemesis), and so on. The gender doesn't change regardless of what the 'nemesis' is.

In short, use la bête noire to describe anything or anyone that consistently gives you a hard time or that you have a strong aversion to.

💡 * Les mathématiques, c'est ma bête noire à l'école. (Math is my nemesis at school.)

Cet entraîneur est la bête noire de notre équipe. (That coach is our team's nemesis.)

Le stationnement en ville est ma bête noire. (Parking in the city is my pet peeve/the bane of my existence.)

Mon ancien patron était ma véritable bête noire. (My old boss was my true arch-enemy.)

The 'competitor' – un concurrent/une concurrente

To talk about a 'competitor' in French, you use the gendered nouns un concurrent (for a male or a masculine entity like a company) and une concurrente (for a female).

These terms are the standard and most common way to refer to competitors in formal and informal contexts, particularly in business, sports, and contests. They directly translate to 'competitor' or 'rival' and carry a neutral tone.

It's useful to know the related words. The abstract noun for 'competition' is la concurrence, and the verb 'to compete with' is concurrencer. For instance, you could say one company concurrence another.

While concurrent(e) is the most direct term, you might also hear un adversaire (an adversary/opponent), which is common for games and sports, or un rival/une rivale (a rival), which can imply a more intense or long-standing relationship.

💡 * Notre principal concurrent vient de baisser ses prix. (Our main competitor just lowered its prices.)

Marie est ma plus grande concurrente pour ce poste. (Marie is my biggest competitor for this position.)

La concurrence entre ces deux marques est très forte. (The competition between these two brands is very strong.)

Il faut concurrencer les entreprises étrangères pour réussir. (We must compete with foreign companies to succeed.)

The 'detractor' – un détracteur / une détractrice

The term un détracteur refers to a 'detractor' or a harsh critic. It describes someone who actively seeks to diminish the value or reputation of a person, project, or idea through criticism. This word is typically used in formal or literary contexts and carries a strong negative connotation.

This noun changes based on gender. The masculine form is un détracteur, and the feminine form is une détractrice. The plural forms follow standard rules: des détracteurs for a group of men or a mixed group, and des détractrices for a group of women.

You will most often encounter détracteur in journalism, political commentary, and formal debates. It is used to label opponents who publicly and consistently express negative opinions about a specific subject.

💡 * Malgré ses nombreux détracteurs, le projet a finalement été approuvé. (Despite its many detractors, the project was finally approved.)

Le politicien a répondu calmement aux critiques de ses détracteurs. (The politician calmly responded to the criticism from his detractors.)

Elle est une célèbre détractrice de la nouvelle loi. (She is a famous detractor of the new law.)

The 'aggressor' or 'attacker' – un agresseur

The 'aggressor' or 'attacker' – un agresseur

Un agresseur is the direct French term for an 'aggressor' or 'attacker.' It refers to a person who initiates a hostile or violent action against another.

This word carries a strong, serious connotation and is most often used in formal contexts like news reports, police statements, or legal discussions. It clearly designates the perpetrator of an assault.

The feminine equivalent is une agresseuse. For example, you would say l'agresseuse to refer to a female attacker.

💡 * La victime a décrit son agresseur à la police. (The victim described her attacker to the police.)

Il faut toujours se méfier d'un potentiel agresseur dans la rue. (You must always be wary of a potential attacker on the street.)

L'agresseuse a été rapidement arrêtée par les forces de l'ordre. (The female attacker was quickly arrested by law enforcement.)

1. The 'hostile party' (formal) – la partie adverse

In formal, legal, or business contexts, the term for the 'opposing' or 'hostile party' is la partie adverse. This phrase directly translates to 'the adverse party' and is used to refer to the opposition in a dispute, lawsuit, or negotiation.

Let's look at the components: la partie refers to a 'party' or 'side' involved in a conflict or agreement, not a celebration. Adverse is a direct cognate of the English word 'adverse,' meaning opposing or contrary. Together, they create a precise term for an opponent in a formal setting.

You will encounter la partie adverse primarily in legal documents, courtrooms, and high-stakes business negotiations. It is not used for casual arguments or friendly rivalries. For example, a lawyer would refer to the other side's legal team and client as la partie adverse.

💡 * L'avocat a présenté des arguments solides contre la partie adverse. (The lawyer presented solid arguments against the opposing party.)

Nous devons anticiper les prochaines actions de la partie adverse. (We must anticipate the opposing party's next moves.)

Un accord a finalement été trouvé avec la partie adverse après de longues négociations. (An agreement was finally reached with the opposing party after long negotiations.)

Are there other ways to say 'enemy' in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say 'enemy' in French. But the language is full of nuanced terms to describe everything from a personal foe to a national adversary or a simple rival, with usage varying by context and formality.

You can expand your vocabulary by doing an online search for “synonyme de ennemi” or by looking up related concepts like “adversaire” or “rival” in a French dictionary.

When you find a new word, always check its definition and look for example sentences. The distinction between an ennemi (enemy) and an adversaire (opponent/adversary) is important, and context will determine the right choice.

Pay attention when you read French history, watch political debates, or follow sports. You'll notice how different words are used to describe opponents and enemies, giving you a richer understanding of the culture.

If you want to explore the vocabulary of opposition further, the WordReference entry for ennemi is an excellent resource, often providing related terms and forum discussions on subtle differences.

I hope this article has helped you understand the different ways to express enmity in French. To finish, let’s consider a classic French proverb: Mieux vaut un sage ennemi qu'un sot ami. (A wise enemy is better than a foolish friend.)

'9 ways to say "enemy" in French'