Avoir peur is the most common way to say “to be scared” or “to have fear” in French. But what if you want to express a more specific kind of fright, from being a little nervous to absolutely terrified? Just like in English, French offers a rich vocabulary to describe various shades of apprehension and alarm. Knowing these alternatives will make your French sound much more natural and expressive, whether you're recounting a spooky story or describing a sudden surprise. Let's explore 9 different ways to say “scared” in French!

The standard 'scared' – avoir peur

Avoir peur is the most common and direct way to say 'to be scared' or 'to be afraid' in French.

Literally, avoir peur translates to 'to have fear'. Unlike English 'to be scared', French uses the verb avoir (to have) with the noun peur (fear).

Since it uses the verb avoir, you must conjugate avoir according to the subject of the sentence. For example: J'ai peur (I am scared), Tu as peur (You are scared), Il/Elle a peur (He/She is scared), Nous avons peur (We are scared), Vous avez peur (You are scared - plural/formal), Ils/Elles ont peur (They are scared).

To express being scared of something or someone, you'll use the construction avoir peur de followed by the noun, pronoun, or infinitive verb. For instance: J'ai peur des araignées (I'm scared of spiders) or Il a peur de nager (He's scared to swim).

When expressing fear that a situation or event might occur, you use avoir peur que followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood. Example: J'ai peur qu'il ne vienne pas (I'm afraid he won't come).

You can easily modify the intensity of your fear by adding adverbs. Use très peur for 'very scared', un peu peur for 'a little scared', or énormément peur for 'extremely scared'. You can also use ne pas avoir peur to say 'not to be scared'.

While avoir peur is the most common, you might also hear être effrayé(e) (to be frightened, often by a sudden event) or the more formal verb craindre (to dread, to fear).

The phrase avoir peur is versatile and can describe anything from a mild apprehension to intense terror, making it your go-to expression for fear in French.

💡 * J'ai peur dans le noir. (I'm scared in the dark.)

Nous avons peur des examens. (We are scared of exams.)

Tu n'as pas peur de la hauteur? (Aren't you scared of heights?)

Elle a très peur que son chien soit malade. (She's very scared that her dog might be sick.)

Ils ont eu peur quand ils ont entendu le bruit. (They got scared when they heard the noise.)

To be 'frightened' – être effrayé(e)

When you want to express that you are 'frightened' or 'scared' in French, one of the most direct and common ways is to use the verb phrase être effrayé(e).

Literally translating to 'to be frightened,' this phrase clearly conveys a state of fear or alarm. It's often used when describing a sudden or intense feeling of fright caused by an external event or object.

As effrayé is a past participle used with être, it must agree in gender and number with the subject. So, a male subject uses effrayé, a female subject uses effrayée, plural male subjects use effrayés, and plural female subjects use effrayées.

This expression is particularly apt for situations where something has caused a fright, such as a loud noise, a scary movie, or an unexpected encounter. It implies a reaction to an external stimulus rather than a general state of anxiety.

While être effrayé(e) means 'to be frightened,' it's worth noting its distinction from avoir peur ('to have fear' or 'to be scared'). Avoir peur is generally more versatile and can describe a broader range of fear, from a mild worry to intense terror. Être effrayé(e) often suggests a more immediate, perhaps startled, reaction.

You can intensify être effrayé(e) with adverbs like très (very) or terriblement (terribly) to emphasize the degree of fear. For example, Je suis très effrayée (I am very frightened).

💡 * Il était effrayé par l'orage. (He was frightened by the storm.)

Elle est effrayée par les araignées. (She is scared of spiders.)

Nous étions effrayés par le bruit soudain. (We were frightened by the sudden noise.)

Ne sois pas effrayé, c'est juste le vent. (Don't be scared, it's just the wind.)

Les enfants sont effrayés par cette histoire. (The children are scared by this story.)

To be 'terrified' – être terrifié(e)

To express being 'terrified' or 'scared stiff' in French, you'll use the verb phrase être terrifié(e).

Like many past participles used with être, terrifié must agree in gender and number with the subject. So, it's terrifié for a masculine singular subject, terrifiée for feminine singular, terrifiés for masculine plural, and terrifiées for feminine plural.

This phrase conveys a strong sense of fear, indicating someone is extremely scared, much more so than simply avoir peur (to be afraid). It implies a profound shock or fright.

You can specify the cause of the terror using prepositions like par (by) or de (of/from). For instance, terrifié par le bruit (terrified by the noise) or terrifié de l'obscurité (terrified of the dark).

This expression is suitable for situations where fear is intense and overwhelming, such as after a sudden shock, a frightening experience, or in the face of a significant danger.

💡 * Elle était terrifiée par l'orage. (She was terrified by the storm.)

Nous sommes terrifiés à l'idée de le perdre. (We are terrified at the thought of losing him.)

Il est terrifié par les araignées. (He is terrified of spiders.)

Les enfants étaient terrifiés par le film d'horreur. (The children were terrified by the horror movie.)

To 'have the jitters' or 'be in a fright' (informal) – avoir la frousse

The expression avoir la frousse is an informal way to say 'to have the jitters,' 'to be scared,' or 'to be in a fright' in French.

This phrase is considered slang or very informal. You would use it among friends or in casual conversation, not in formal settings.

Avoir la frousse often implies a sudden, often mild, feeling of fear or apprehension, similar to getting a scare or being a bit nervous about something.

Like many French fear expressions, it uses the verb avoir (to have), followed by the feminine noun la frousse.

💡 * J'ai eu la frousse quand j'ai entendu ce bruit. (I got scared/had the jitters when I heard that noise.)

Tu as la frousse de prendre l'avion ? (Are you scared to fly?)

Ne t'inquiète pas, il n'y a pas de quoi avoir la frousse. (Don't worry, there's nothing to be scared about.)

Le film m'a donné la frousse. (The movie gave me the jitters/scared me.)

Elle a la frousse des araignées. (She's scared of spiders.)

To 'freak out' or 'panic' (slang) – flipper

In French slang, the verb flipper is commonly used to express the idea of 'to freak out,' 'to panic,' or 'to lose it.'

This is a highly informal verb, generally used among friends or in casual settings. Avoid using it in formal conversations or professional environments.

Flipper can describe a strong emotional reaction, ranging from intense fear or anxiety to overwhelming excitement or surprise. It often implies a sudden loss of composure.

Good news for learners: flipper is a regular -ER verb, meaning its conjugations follow the standard pattern for verbs like parler or aimer.

You'll often hear it used reflexively as se flipper (to get scared/nervous) or with intensifiers like flipper à mort (to totally freak out).

💡 *Je flippe à mort pour mon examen demain. (I'm totally freaking out about my exam tomorrow.)
*Elle a flippé quand elle a vu la souris. (She freaked out when she saw the mouse.)
*Arrête de flipper, ce n'est pas grave. (Stop panicking, it's not a big deal.)
*On a flippé sur le film d'horreur hier soir. (We freaked out watching the horror movie last night.)
*Ne te flippe pas pour ça. (Don't get scared/nervous about that.)

To 'tremble with fear' – trembler de peur

The French phrase trembler de peur directly translates to 'to tremble with fear' in English. It's a vivid and common expression used to describe a strong physical reaction to intense fright or apprehension.

The core of the phrase is the verb trembler, which means 'to tremble,' 'to shake,' or 'to shiver.' It refers to an involuntary physical movement, often caused by cold, emotion, or a sudden shock.

The noun peur means 'fear.' When combined with trembler using the preposition de, it precisely indicates that the trembling is caused by fear, rather than cold or another reason.

While avoir peur (to be afraid) is a general way to express fear, trembler de peur specifically emphasizes the physical manifestation of that fear. It conveys a higher degree of fright, suggesting the fear is so overwhelming it causes the body to shake.

💡 * Elle a commencé à trembler de peur en entendant le bruit étrange. (She started to tremble with fear upon hearing the strange noise.)

Le petit garçon tremblait de peur dans le noir. (The little boy was trembling with fear in the dark.)

Quand il a vu l'araignée géante, il a tremblé de peur. (When he saw the giant spider, he trembled with fear.)

Nous tremblions de peur en attendant les résultats. (We were trembling with fear while awaiting the results.)

To be 'panicked' – être paniqué(e)

The French expression être paniqué(e) directly translates to 'to be panicked' or 'to be in a state of panic'. It describes a sudden, intense feeling of fear or anxiety.

As an adjective, paniqué(e) must agree in gender and number with the subject. Use paniqué for masculine singular, paniquée for feminine singular, paniqués for masculine plural, and paniquées for feminine plural.

This phrase is used to convey a loss of composure or overwhelming distress due to an unexpected event, a difficult situation, or a frightening circumstance. It emphasizes the emotional state of being overwhelmed.

💡 * Elle était complètement paniquée avant son examen oral. (She was completely panicked before her oral exam.)

Ne soyez pas paniqués, tout va bien se passer. (Don't be panicked, everything will be alright.)

Les enfants ont paniqué quand ils ont entendu le tonnerre. (The children panicked when they heard the thunder.)

Je suis un peu paniqué par la quantité de travail que j'ai. (I'm a bit panicked by the amount of work I have.)

To be 'anxious' or 'distressed' (often implying fear) – être angoissé(e)

The verb phrase être angoissé(e) translates to 'to be anxious' or 'to be distressed.' It describes a state of deep unease, often accompanied by a sense of dread or fear.

Unlike a general worry (être inquiet/inquiète), être angoissé(e) carries a stronger connotation of mental anguish, often stemming from a specific fear, an overwhelming situation, or even a panic attack. It's more intense and visceral.

As an adjective, angoissé(e) must agree in gender and number with the subject. Use angoissé for masculine singular, angoissée for feminine singular, angoissés for masculine plural, and angoissées for feminine plural.

This term is used when the anxiety is significant enough to cause distress, affecting one's well-being. It can be triggered by stressful events, uncertainty, or deep-seated worries, signifying a state beyond simple nervousness.

💡 * Elle est angoissée par son examen. (She is anxious about her exam.)

Il était angoissé à l'idée de parler en public. (He was distressed at the idea of speaking in public.)

Nous sommes angoissés par la situation mondiale. (We are anxious about the global situation.)

Les enfants étaient angoissés pendant l'orage. (The children were distressed during the storm.)

To 'be scared to death' (hyperbolic) – mourir de peur

The French expression to convey being 'scared to death' (in a hyperbolic sense) is mourir de peur. Literally, this translates to 'to die of fear', emphasizing the intense, overwhelming nature of the fright. It's crucial to understand that, like its English counterpart, this phrase is a hyperbole and does not imply actual death.

The verb mourir (to die) is an irregular verb and will be conjugated according to the subject and tense. The phrase de peur (of fear) remains constant. For example, in the present tense, you might say Je meurs de peur (I'm scared to death). In the passé composé (past tense), it uses être as an auxiliary verb: Je suis mort(e) de peur.

Just as in English, 'to be scared to death' is a common idiom used to describe extreme terror or anxiety, not a literal impending death. It's perfect for exaggerating how frightening something was, like a jump scare in a movie or a sudden loud noise. It's a vivid way to express profound fear without being morbid.

While mourir de peur is very strong, other expressions can also convey fear. For instance, trembler de peur means 'to tremble with fear', and avoir une peur bleue means 'to have a blue fear,' which is another idiomatic way to say 'to be terrified' or 'to be scared stiff'.

💡 *Quand j'ai vu l'araignée, j'ai failli mourir de peur. (When I saw the spider, I almost died of fear.)
*Elle meurt de peur à l'idée de parler en public. (She's scared to death at the thought of public speaking.)
*Nous sommes morts de peur pendant l'orage. (We were scared to death during the storm.)
*Le film d'horreur m'a fait mourir de peur. (The horror movie scared me to death.)
*Mon petit frère a hurlé, il était mort de peur. (My little brother screamed, he was scared to death.)

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

Are there other ways to say “scared” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “scared” in French. But there are other terms, from old-fashioned expressions, to regional ones, to up-and-coming slang this middle-aged author might not even be aware of!

You can also do an online search for “comment dire effrayé en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might find some interesting synonyms for effrayé or avoir peur on this list. Of course, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you use it.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different ways to express fear.

And if you’re looking for more ways to talk about being scared, or words related to fear in French, the WordReference entry for peur is a great place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s what I think is a perfect quote to finish it with, courtesy of Mark Twain: Le courage est la résistance à la peur, la maîtrise de la peur – et non l'absence de peur. (Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.)

9 ways to say "scared" in French