A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "He fainted" in French
Use 'Il s'est évanoui' when someone suddenly loses consciousness in France.
Il s'est évanoui.
eel seh-tay-vah-noo-EEneutral
French TTS · 0:01
This phrase is for a situation where a man suddenly collapses and loses consciousness. You might say it to a doctor, a police officer, or someone helping you assist the person.
Alternatives
- Il a perdu connaissance.Slightly more formal, emphasizing the loss of awareness.
- Il a fait un malaise.More general, can include feeling unwell without full fainting.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'évanoui'
The 'é' is like the 'ay' in 'say', and the final 'i' is pronounced.
Using 'il est évanoui'
The reflexive verb 's'évanouir' requires 'être' as the auxiliary verb, hence 'il s'est évanoui'.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
What's the difference between évanoui and perdu connaissance?
'Il s'est évanoui' means he fainted, specifically losing consciousness. 'Il a perdu connaissance' is a more general way to say he lost consciousness, which could be from fainting or another cause.
How do I say 'she fainted' in French?
For a woman, you would say 'Elle s'est évanouie.' Remember to change the pronoun and the past participle ending.
What if it was a minor faint?
If it was very brief or less severe, you might say 'Il a eu un petit malaise' (He felt a bit unwell) or 'Il a failli s'évanouir' (He almost fainted).
