gentil
kind
adjective zhahn-TEE Common
Origin: Latin 'gentilis' (of the same clan, noble)
Also means
nice
Usage Note
Gentil (feminine: gentille) means kind or nice in a warm, considerate sense — closer to 'sweet' or 'good-natured' than 'polite'. C'est gentil de ta part (that's kind of you) is a common expression of gratitude. Note the doubled 'l' in the feminine gentille, which changes the pronunciation to end in '-tee-yuh'.
Examples
"Elle est très gentille avec nous."
Natural Translation
She is very kind to us.
Related Words
Explore French by topic