avoir l'air
to seem, to look
Literalmente: to have the air
Use `avoir l'air` whenever you want to comment on the vibe or appearance of someone or something.
Em 15 segundos
- Used to describe appearances, vibes, or general impressions.
- Combines conjugated 'avoir' with 'l'air' and an adjective.
- Perfect for daily observations and making polite small talk.
Significado
This is your go-to phrase for describing someone's vibe or appearance. Use it when you want to say someone looks tired, happy, or even like a total professional.
Exemplos-chave
3 de 6Commenting on a friend's mood
Tu as l'air en forme aujourd'hui !
You look like you're in great shape today!
Reacting to a photo of food
Miam, ça a l'air délicieux !
Yum, that looks delicious!
In a professional meeting
Vous avez l'air préoccupé par ce projet.
You look concerned about this project.
Contexto cultural
The phrase stems from the 16th-century concept of 'air' as a person's character or demeanor. It reflects the French social emphasis on 'la présentation' and reading between the lines of social cues. It remains one of the most frequent expressions in modern French cinema and literature.
The Grammar Shortcut
In casual speech, the adjective after 'l'air' often stays masculine even if the subject is feminine. You can say 'Elle a l'air fatigué' without the extra 'e'!
Don't forget the 'de'
If you follow the phrase with a noun (like 'a genius'), you MUST use 'de'. 'Tu as l'air d'un génie' is correct; 'Tu as l'air un génie' is a common mistake.
Em 15 segundos
- Used to describe appearances, vibes, or general impressions.
- Combines conjugated 'avoir' with 'l'air' and an adjective.
- Perfect for daily observations and making polite small talk.
What It Means
Think of avoir l'air as your social radar. It describes the impression someone or something gives you. It is not just about physical looks. It captures the overall energy or mood of a situation. If your friend walks in smiling, they ont l'air happy. If a cake looks tasty, it a l'air delicious. It is the French way of judging a book by its cover.
How To Use It
You conjugate the verb avoir to match your subject. Then you just add l'air. Finally, drop in an adjective. For example, tu as l'air plus content equals "you look happy." If you want to compare someone to a noun, use avoir l'air de. For instance, il a l'air d'un chef means "he looks like a chef." It is simple and very flexible.
When To Use It
Use this phrase in almost any daily situation. At a restaurant, tell the waiter the food a l'air amazing. In a meeting, notice if your boss a l'air stressed. When texting a friend, ask if they ont l'air ready for the party. It works for people, objects, and even abstract ideas. It is the ultimate conversation starter for making observations.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for deep, objective truths. If someone is definitely sick, just say they are sick. Avoir l'air is about your subjective perception. Avoid using it when you are talking about literal vision. If you actually see something with your eyes, use voir. Also, do not confuse it with sembler. Sembler is a bit more formal and distant. Stick to avoir l'air for your friends and family.
Cultural Background
French culture places a high value on "l'allure" or one's presence. This phrase reflects that focus on how things present themselves. Historically, an "air" referred to a melody or a specific manner. By the 17th century, it became about a person's outward appearance. Today, it is a staple of French small talk. It shows you are paying attention to the people around you.
Common Variations
You will often hear ça a l'air used on its own. It means "that seems..." or "that looks like..." in response to an idea. Another common one is avoir l'air de rien. This describes something that looks unimpressive but is actually important. In slang, you might hear avoir une sale gueule. That is a much ruder way to say someone looks bad. Stick to avoir l'air to stay polite!
Notas de uso
This phrase is incredibly versatile and safe for all levels of formality. Just remember to conjugate 'avoir' correctly and use 'de' before nouns or verbs.
The Grammar Shortcut
In casual speech, the adjective after 'l'air' often stays masculine even if the subject is feminine. You can say 'Elle a l'air fatigué' without the extra 'e'!
Don't forget the 'de'
If you follow the phrase with a noun (like 'a genius'), you MUST use 'de'. 'Tu as l'air d'un génie' is correct; 'Tu as l'air un génie' is a common mistake.
The French Vibe Check
French people use 'Ça a l'air...' to react to almost anything you tell them. It's the perfect way to show you're listening without needing a long response.
Exemplos
6Tu as l'air en forme aujourd'hui !
You look like you're in great shape today!
A common compliment for someone looking energetic.
Miam, ça a l'air délicieux !
Yum, that looks delicious!
Used to react to something you haven't tasted yet.
Vous avez l'air préoccupé par ce projet.
You look concerned about this project.
A polite way to acknowledge someone's visible stress.
T'as l'air de bien t'amuser sur tes photos !
You look like you're having fun in your photos!
Using 'de' plus an infinitive verb.
Tu as l'air d'un pingouin dans ce costume !
You look like a penguin in that suit!
A humorous comparison using 'de' + noun.
Elle a l'air triste depuis ce matin.
She has looked sad since this morning.
Expressing empathy based on visual cues.
Teste-se
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'avoir l'air'.
Ils ___ fatigués après le voyage.
The subject 'Ils' (they) requires the third-person plural form of 'avoir', which is 'ont'.
Choose the correct preposition to compare someone to a noun.
Tu as l'air ___ un artiste avec ce chapeau.
When 'avoir l'air' is followed by a noun, you must use the preposition 'de' (which becomes 'd'' before a vowel).
🎉 Pontuação: /2
Recursos visuais
Formality of 'avoir l'air'
Used with friends, often dropping the 'ne' in negation.
T'as pas l'air bien.
The standard way to express impressions in any setting.
Il a l'air sympa.
Still used, though 'sembler' or 'paraître' might be preferred.
Vous avez l'air soucieux.
Where to use 'avoir l'air'
At a Bakery
Ce pain a l'air chaud.
With Friends
Tu as l'air fatigué.
At Work
Ça a l'air compliqué.
Watching a Movie
Il a l'air méchant.
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasUsually, yes, but it is complicated. In modern French, it is very common to leave the adjective masculine, as if it modifies the word air rather than the person.
Absolutely! You can say ce livre a l'air intéressant to mean the book looks interesting. It works for anything that gives off a certain impression.
Avoir l'air is more about visual or immediate impressions. Sembler is slightly more formal and often implies a bit more doubt or logical deduction.
You would say il a l'air d'aller pleuvoir or more commonly on dirait qu'il va pleuvoir. Avoir l'air is less common for weather than on dirait.
Not at all, it is neutral. However, telling someone tu as l'air fatigué (you look tired) can be seen as a bit blunt in French culture, just like in English!
Yes, just conjugate avoir in the imparfait. For example, il avait l'air heureux means 'he looked happy' (back then).
It is an idiom meaning something looks insignificant or easy but is actually important or difficult. Il a l'air de rien, mais il est très riche means 'He doesn't look like much, but he's very rich.'
Use avoir l'air de followed by the infinitive. For example, elle a l'air de s'ennuyer means 'she looks like she is bored.'
There isn't a direct slang equivalent for the phrase itself, but people might use on dirait (one would say) for a more casual 'it looks like' vibe.
Usually, it is for visual or general vibes. For taste, you would say ça a l'air bon before eating it, but once you taste it, you just say c'est bon.
Frases relacionadas
sembler
paraître
on dirait que
avoir l'allure de
donner l'impression de
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