Paul est fâché.

to be

Breakdown of Paul est fâché.

• Paul: Paul
• fâché: angry

Questions & Answers about Paul est fâché.

Why is est used here instead of a verb meaning feels or becomes?

Because fâché is an adjective, so French uses être (to be) to link the subject to that adjective:

• Paul est fâché = Paul is angry/upset.

This works like English is angry, not like feels angry or becomes angry.

French often uses être + adjective where English does too:

• Il est content = He is happy
• Elle est triste = She is sad

What exactly is fâché in this sentence?

Fâché is an adjective. It describes Paul’s state or emotion.

So the structure is:

• Paul = subject
• est = is
• fâché = adjective describing Paul

It is not a separate conjugated verb here.

Why does fâché have an accent, and do I need to write it?