What does gêné in French mean?

What is the meaning of the word gêné in French? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use gêné in French.

The word gêné in French means embarrassed, embarrassed, awkward, hemmed in, confined, financially embarrassed, self-conscious, shy, gene, gene, difficulty, discomfort, embarrassment, awkwardness, need, disturb, bother, embarrass, annoy, obstruct, be in each other's way, not hesitate to do, shamefacedly, I don't mind, it doesn't bother me, it doesn't worry me, in case of discomfort, be totally embarrassed, gene of interest, reporter gene, reporter, there's no need to stand on ceremony, Please, don't mind me!, Don't mind me!, what a cheek! what a nerve!, shamelessness, brazenness, inconsiderate person, shameless, brazen, awkward silence. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word gêné

embarrassed

adjectif (personne : dans l'embarras)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Oh, un cadeau, merci ! Mais je suis gêné, je ne vous ai rien offert.
Oh, a present. Thank you! But I'm embarrassed; I haven't got you anything.

embarrassed, awkward

adjectif (qui manifeste de la gêne)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Après son commentaire un peu sec, il y eut un silence gêné.
After his rather sharp comment, there was an embarrassed silence.

hemmed in, confined

adjectif (empêché dans ses mouvements)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Je suis un peu gêné dans cette veste trop serrée.
I'm a bit hemmed in this too-tight jacket.

financially embarrassed

adjectif (en difficulté financière)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Nous ne pourrons pas partir en vacances cet été car nous sommes un peu gênés.
We can't go on holiday this summer, as money's a bit tight.

self-conscious, shy

adjectif (Can (timide)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Elle n'ose pas, car elle est très gênée.
She doesn't dare. She's very self-conscious.

gene

nom masculin (unité héréditaire) (biology)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Certains gènes sont dominants, d'autres récessifs.
Some genes are dominant and others recessive.

gene

nom masculin (figuré (caractéristique héréditaire) (figurative)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Ils sont tous impulsifs dans cette famille, c'est dans leurs gènes !
Everyone in that family is impulsive; it's in their genes!

difficulty, discomfort

nom féminin (difficulté)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Il éprouve de la gêne à parler en public.
He experiences difficulty in speaking in public.

embarrassment

nom féminin (trouble, embarras)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Après la révélation de son erreur, il avait du mal à masquer sa gêne.
After his mistake was discovered, he had trouble hiding his embarrassment.

awkwardness

nom féminin (sentiment de malaise)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Il y eut comme une gêne dans l'assemblée à l'annonce des résultats.
There was a kind of awkwardness in the assembly when the results were announced.

need

nom féminin (difficulté financière)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Il ne participe pas au voyage, car il est dans la gêne.
He's not going on the trip because he's financially embarrassed.

disturb, bother

verbe transitif (déranger)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Tu ne me gênes jamais lorsque tu passes à l'improviste.
You never bother me when you drop by unannounced.

embarrass

verbe transitif (embarrasser, mettre mal à l'aise)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Cette question gêne le directeur. Tous ces cadeaux me gênent : je ne les mérite pas !
This question makes the manager uncomfortable.

annoy

verbe transitif (causer une gêne physique)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Mes lunettes me gênent quand je veux faire du sport. Ce gros sac me gêne quand je marche.
This big bag gets in the way when I'm walking.

obstruct

verbe transitif (entraver)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Des branches gênaient la circulation.
The branches were obstructing the traffic.

be in each other's way

verbe pronominal (se déranger)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Nous nous gênons à cinq dans ma chambre.
With five of us in my room, we are in each other's way.

not hesitate to do

locution verbale (ne pas hésiter à faire [qch])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Si mon voisin faisait trop de bruit, je ne me gênerais pas pour le lui dire.
If my neighbour was making too much noise, I wouldn't hesitate to tell him so.

shamefacedly

locution adverbiale (avec embarras)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")
Les retardataires entrèrent avec gêne.

I don't mind, it doesn't bother me, it doesn't worry me

(je n'ai rien contre)

in case of discomfort

locution adverbiale (santé : si [qch] s'avère difficile)

be totally embarrassed

locution verbale (figuré, familier (être embarrassé, mal à l'aise)

Dès qu'on aborde ce sujet, elle est gênée aux entournures.

gene of interest

nom masculin (gène responsable d'une caractéristique) (Biology)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

reporter gene, reporter

nom masculin (gène facilement identifiable) (Biology)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

there's no need to stand on ceremony

(il faut savoir se lâcher)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

Please, don't mind me!

(ironique (il ne faut pas se gêner !) (ironic)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

Don't mind me!

(Ne fais pas comme chez toi !)

what a cheek! what a nerve!

locution adjectivale (sans gêne)

shamelessness, brazenness

nom masculin invariable (désinvolture)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Son sans-gêne met toute la famille dans l'embarras.

inconsiderate person

nom masculin et féminin invariable (personne désinvolte)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
C'est un sans-gêne que plus personne ne veut recevoir.

shameless, brazen

adjectif invariable (désinvolte)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Son comportement sans gêne met toute la famille dans l'embarras.

awkward silence

nom masculin (expression de gêne)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Elle marqua son discours de plusieurs silences gênés.

Let's learn French

So now that you know more about the meaning of gêné in French, you can learn how to use them through selected examples and how to read them. And remember to learn the related words that we suggest. Our website is constantly updating with new words and new examples so you can look up the meanings of other words you don't know in French.

Related words of gêné

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