désespérer

despair

verb deh-zess-peh-REH Less Common

Origin: Latin desperare (to be without hope)

Also means

lose hope

Usage Note

Désespérer can be transitive ('to make someone despair') or intransitive ('to despair'). The reflexive se désespérer means 'to be in despair'. The command ne désespère pas is a common encouragement. The related noun is le désespoir and the adjective désespéré (desperate/hopeless).

Examples

"Ne désespère pas, la situation va s'améliorer."

Natural Translation

Don't despair, the situation will improve.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

French Greetings: Bonjour, Salut, Coucou Explained

Bonjour, salut, or coucou? Pick the right French greeting every time with a simple two-axis guide to formality and time of day, plus how to say goodbye.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

En, Au, Aux: French Prepositions for Countries

Use en for feminine countries, au for masculine, aux for plural, and à for cities. Full French preposition rule for countries, with a lookup table and traps.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

Telling Time in French: Hours, Quarters, 24-Hour

Telling time in French means Il est cinq heures, et quart, et demie, and the 24-hour clock like quatorze heures trente. Read any French schedule.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Liaison Rules: When to Link Words (and Not To)

French liaison links a silent final consonant to the next vowel. Learn the obligatory, forbidden, and optional rules, plus the s→z and d→t sound shifts.

June 4, 2026 5 min read