Words ending in -isme in French

1. 1
   optimiste/ɔptimist/

   optimisticadjective

   Seeing the good side of things.
2. 2
   pessimiste/pesimist/

   pessimisticadjective

   Always expecting the worst.
3. 3
   réaliste/ʁealist/

   realisticadjective

   Seeing things as they are.
4. 4
   égoïste/eɡoist/

   selfishadjective

   Thinking of yourself first.
5. 5
   cynique/sinik/

   cynicaladjective

   Not believing in people's goodness.
6. 6
   perfectionniste/pɛʁfɛksjɔnist/

   perfectionistnoun

   A person who wants everything to be perfect.
7. 7
   enthousiasme/ɑ̃tuzjasm/iAlso said ɑ̃tuzjazm.

   enthusiasmnoun

   A strong, joyful desire to do something.
8. 8
   sarcasme/saʁkasm/iAlso said saʁkazm.

   sarcasmnoun

   Mean mockery meant to hurt.
9. 9
   charisme/kaʁism/iAlso said kaʁizm.

   charismanoun

   Natural charm that draws others in.
10. 10
    touriste/tuʁist/

    touristnoun

    A person who travels for pleasure.

The sentences

1. Je reste optimiste, même quand tout va mal.

   I stay optimistic, even when everything goes wrong.

2. Mon frère est pessimiste, il voit tout en noir.

   My brother is a pessimist, he sees everything in black.

3. Je ne suis pas pessimiste, je suis réaliste.

   I'm not pessimistic, I'm realistic.

4. Tu peux être un peu égoïste parfois, tu sais.

   You can be a bit selfish sometimes, you know.

5. Je crois que je deviens cynique avec l'âge.

   I think I'm becoming cynical with age.

6. Je suis perfectionniste, je refais tout trois fois.

   I'm a perfectionist, I redo everything three times.

7. Ton enthousiasme donne envie à tout le monde.

   Your enthusiasm makes everyone want to join in.

8. Arrête le sarcasme, je suis sérieux cette fois.

   Stop the sarcasm, I'm serious this time.

9. Elle a beaucoup de charisme quand elle parle.

   She has a lot of charisma when she speaks.

10. En vacances, je suis le pire touriste du monde.

    On vacation, I'm the worst tourist in the world.

Pronunciation

• réaliste/ʁealist/

  The é and the a are said one after the other, ré-a, without blending them.

• cynique/sinik/

  The y is said like an i, as in "cinéma".

• enthousiasme/ɑ̃tuzjasm/

  The th is said like a plain t, the -ou- is said /u/, and the final -sme is clearly heard.

• charisme/kaʁism/

  The ch is said k, as in "chorale".

Good to know

café

In France, coffee is often drunk on a café terrace, and you can stay a long time without being rushed to leave. A plain café means a small black espresso.

service compris

In cafés and restaurants, service is included in the listed prices. Leaving a little change is possible, but nothing obliges you to.

la bise

Among friends, people often greet each other with la bise, a kiss on the cheek, once or several times depending on the region. With someone you barely know, a handshake is common.

addition

To pay, you ask the waiter for l'addition, which usually only arrives when you ask. Among friends, people often split the bill or take turns paying for a round.

Questions

How do you say "I'm not pessimistic, I'm realistic" in French?

You say "Je ne suis pas pessimiste, je suis réaliste." Pessimiste means someone who always expects the worst, and réaliste means someone who sees things as they are.

How do you pronounce cynique in French?

The y is said like an i, as in "cinéma", so the word sounds like /sinik/. It describes someone who does not believe in people's goodness.

What does sarcasme mean in French?

It means mean mockery meant to hurt. In the collection's sentence, someone says "Arrête le sarcasme, je suis sérieux cette fois."