Malheur (en. Misfortune)
/malœʁ/
Meaning & Definition
EnglishFrench
noun
State or situation of bad luck, causing despair or suffering.
The misfortune of his loss was difficult to bear.
Le malheur de sa perte a été difficile à supporter.
Tragic or disastrous event.
He experienced many misfortunes in his life.
Il a connu beaucoup de malheurs dans sa vie.
Etymology
From Latin 'maleura', meaning 'bad' and 'fortune'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
misfortune of your mountain
Indicates the failure or difficulty of a task.
malheur de votre montagne
misfortune to those who don't want it
One must avoid disregarding warnings.
malheur à qui n'en veut
Related Words
unfortunate
Who suffers misfortunes, an unlucky person.
malheureux
unfortunate (feminine)
Feminine of unfortunate, refers to a woman in a situation of misfortune.
malheureuse
Slang Meanings
Big problem
He had a big problem with his car yesterday.
Il a eu un gros pépin avec sa voiture hier.
Hard blow
Losing his job was a hard blow for him.
La perte de son emploi a été un coup dur pour lui.