Learn Hardcore French: Je suis un peu stressé aujourd'hui.

Male speaker: Je suis un peu stressé.
Female speaker: Je suis un peu stressée.
Mixed/men, plural: Nous sommes un peu stressés.
Women only, plural: Nous sommes un peu stressées. Pronunciation is the same in all these cases; the change is visible in writing.

Can I say Je suis un peu stressant?

No, not for the meaning “I’m a bit stressed.” Stressant means “stressful” (something that causes stress). Use Je suis (un peu) stressé/stressée or Je me sens (un peu) stressé/stressée.

What’s the difference between Je suis stressé and Je me sens stressé?

Both are natural.

Je suis stressé states your condition.
Je me sens stressé emphasizes how you’re feeling right now. It can sound a bit more subjective or immediate.

Where should un peu go? Is Je suis stressé un peu okay?

Standard placement is before the adjective: Je suis un peu stressé. Putting it after (Je suis stressé un peu) can occur in casual speech for emphasis, but it’s less standard.

What’s the nuance between un peu, un petit peu, assez, plutôt, and très?

un peu = a little.
un petit peu = a tiny bit (often slightly softer or more polite).
assez = quite/fairly (enough to be noticeable).
plutôt = rather/pretty (moderately strong).
très = very.

When do I use un peu vs un peu de?

Before an adjective/adverb: un peu. Example: Je suis un peu stressé.
Before a noun: un peu de. Example: J’ai un peu de stress.

How do I pronounce the whole sentence naturally?

Approximation: “zhuh swee zun pø stray-say oh-zhoor-dwee.”

Je = “zhuh”
suis = “swee” (often links to next word)
suis un often has a liaison: “swee-zun”
un = nasal vowel (no ‘n’ sound)
peu = “pø” (like French “eu”)
stressé = “streh-say” (French uvular r)
aujourd’hui = “oh-zhoor-dwee” (the d is pronounced)

Which liaisons should I make here?

Common liaison: suis un → you’ll often hear a [z] sound: “swee-zun”.
No liaison in un peu.
Between stressé and aujourd’hui, there’s just a vowel-vowel contact; no obligatory liaison.

Why is there an apostrophe in aujourd’hui, and how do I spell it?

It comes from a historical contraction (au jour d’ hui). Modern spelling is one single word with an apostrophe: aujourd’hui. Don’t add spaces or hyphens. Keep the apostrophe; both straight (') and curly (’) are fine in everyday typing.

Can I move aujourd’hui to the beginning?

Yes:

Aujourd’hui, je suis un peu stressé. (sets the time frame up front)
Je suis un peu stressé aujourd’hui. (neutral) Both are correct.

Is there a difference between Je suis stressé and Je stresse?

Je suis stressé = I’m (in a state of being) stressed.
Je stresse = I’m stressing/I’m getting stressed (focus on the ongoing process). Both are idiomatic.

Is it okay to write J’suis instead of Je suis?

In speech, many people pronounce Je suis like J’suis. In writing, keep Je suis in anything neutral or formal. J’suis is acceptable in very informal writing or to transcribe speech.

How do I say “I’m not stressed today”?

Standard: Je ne suis pas stressé(e) aujourd’hui.
In casual speech, the ne is often dropped: Je suis pas stressé(e) aujourd’hui.

How would I put this in the past or future?

Past (completed today): J’ai été un peu stressé(e) plus tôt aujourd’hui.
Ongoing past: J’étais un peu stressé(e) hier.
Future: Je serai un peu stressé(e) demain.

Does un in un peu agree with gender (e.g., une peu)?

No. Un peu is a fixed, invariable expression. It never changes form.

Any common synonyms for sounding natural?

Je suis un peu tendu(e) aujourd’hui. (tense)
Je suis un peu nerveux/nerveuse aujourd’hui. (nervous)
Je suis un peu sous pression aujourd’hui. (under pressure)
Very casual: Je suis un peu à cran aujourd’hui. (on edge)

Do I need to capitalize aujourd’hui?

No, unless it starts the sentence. Use lowercase in the middle: … stressé aujourd’hui.