le désir
desire / longing
Intermediate Noun Masculine
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Pronunciation
/de.ziʁ/
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Cultural Note
Desire is central to French romantic philosophy. The French believe that maintaining desire — through mystery, distance, and anticipation — is crucial to keeping romance alive. This is reflected in the cultural emphasis on not revealing everything at once, both emotionally and physically. As the French say, 'le désir naît de la frustration.'
📝 Example Sentences
Le désir dans ses yeux était impossible à ignorer.
The desire in his eyes was impossible to ignore.
Le désir grandit avec l'attente, non ?
Desire grows with anticipation, doesn't it?