Paul est respectueux avec les voisins.

Paul is respectful with the neighbors.

Breakdown of Paul est respectueux avec les voisins.

• être: to be
• Paul: Paul
• avec: with
• le voisin: the neighbor
• respectueux: respectful

Questions & Answers about Paul est respectueux avec les voisins.

Why is it respectueux and not a verb form like respecte?

In this sentence, respectueux is an adjective meaning respectful, not a verb meaning respects.

• Paul est respectueux = Paul is respectful (adjective after être).
• Paul respecte les voisins = Paul respects the neighbors (verb respecter).

In French, after être, you usually use an adjective (like content, fatigué, respectueux), not a conjugated verb. So est respectueux matches the English pattern is respectful, not respects.

Does respectueux change for gender and number?

Yes. Respectueux is masculine singular here because it refers to Paul (a man). The adjective has four main forms:

• Masculine singular: respectueux
• Feminine singular: respectueuse
• Masculine plural: respectueux (same spelling as masculine singular)
• Feminine plural: respectueuses

Examples:

• Paul est respectueux.
• Marie est respectueuse.
• Paul et Marc sont respectueux.
• Marie et Julie sont respectueuses.

Could you also say envers les voisins instead of avec les voisins? What is the difference?

Yes, you could say:

• Paul est respectueux envers les voisins.

Both avec and envers can be used, but there is a nuance:

• avec is more general: with the neighbors, in his behavior and interactions.
• envers focuses more on his attitude or feelings toward them.

In many everyday contexts, both are acceptable. Envers can sound a bit more precise or slightly more formal when talking about attitudes (respect, kindness, hostility, etc.).

Why is it les voisins and not ses voisins?

Both are possible, but they mean slightly different things:

• les voisins = the neighbors in general, from the shared point of view of the speaker and listener.
• ses voisins = his neighbors, specifically the neighbors of Paul.

So you could say:

• Paul est respectueux avec les voisins.
  → Emphasis on his respectfulness in the neighborhood context (the neighbors in general).
• Paul est respectueux avec ses voisins.
  → Emphasis that he treats his own neighbors respectfully (as opposed to, say, colleagues).

French often uses the definite article le / la / les where English might prefer his / her / their, so les voisins can still feel natural.

Could we say Paul est un voisin respectueux instead? What is the difference in meaning?

Yes, you can say that, but the focus changes:

• Paul est respectueux avec les voisins.
  Focus: Paul’s behavior toward the neighbors.
• Paul est un voisin respectueux.
  Focus: Paul’s identity/role as a neighbor; he is a respectful neighbor.

The first describes how he behaves in relation to others.
The second labels him as a certain type of person (a respectful neighbor) in the community.

Is the word order fixed? Could I say Paul est avec les voisins respectueux?

No, Paul est avec les voisins respectueux is not correct for the intended meaning.

In French, with être, the pattern is:

• subject + être + adjective (+ complements)

So:

• Paul est respectueux avec les voisins. ✅

Putting avec les voisins before respectueux would suggest another structure (for example, Paul est avec les voisins, respectueux, which sounds like a pause then an apposition and is not natural here). Stick with:

• Paul est respectueux avec les voisins.

How do you pronounce respectueux?

Approximate pronunciation (in English-friendly terms):

• re ≈ res (like ress)
• spec ≈ spek
• tueux ≈ tyuh (one syllable, like tyuh, no clear x sound)

Put together: res-pek-tyuh.
In IPA: /ʁɛs.pɛk.tyø/

Tips:

• The final x is silent.
• The r is the French guttural r, produced in the throat.
• The eu in the last syllable is the same vowel as in peur or deux (but rounded differently depending on accent).

Is respectueux formal? Are there more common or simpler words?

Respectueux is standard and common; it’s not especially formal, and you can use it in everyday speech.

Some close, often more casual or concrete alternatives:

• poli = polite
• bien élevé = well brought up / well mannered
• gentil = kind / nice (broader meaning)

Examples:

• Paul est poli avec les voisins.
• Paul est bien élevé avec les voisins.

These don’t mean exactly the same thing, but in many contexts a speaker might choose poli or bien élevé instead of respectueux to sound a bit more colloquial.

How would you say Paul is not respectful with the neighbors in French?

You use ne … pas around the verb être:

• Paul n’est pas respectueux avec les voisins.

Structure:

• Paul (subject)
• n’est (ne
  • est)
• pas
• respectueux (adjective)
• avec les voisins (complement)

In speech, many people drop ne and say:

• Paul est pas respectueux avec les voisins. (informal)
  But in writing or in careful speech, keep ne: n’est pas.