# état, états d'âme



## QBU

I need to translate a song called "état d'âme". I would like to find an expression with the word "soul". What about "the mood of my soul"?
Any help greatly apreciated
Thanks
QBU

*Moderator note: *multiple threads merged to create this one


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## Aupick

'État d'âme' is often translated as 'state of mind', since this fits in most cases. In the expression 'sans états d'âme' you might say 'without hesitation', 'without flinching', 'without second-guessing'. But rarely do we use anything with 'soul' in it.

Since it's the title of a song, you have more freedom, though, and could say something like 'soulscape' if you want to retain 'soul'. But it's hard to say without knowing what the song is about.


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## Isotta

What about quite simply "the state of my soul?" 

To Aupick: Hmm, interesting proposition--I hadn't even thought of it--but song seems to be too heavy for "soulscape." 

Z.


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## Gil

Is "state of mind" any better?


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## Jean-Michel Carrère

frame of mind


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## DDT

Gil said:
			
		

> Is "state of mind" any better?



Doesn't it sound a little rational?

DDT


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## QBU

Thank you but I see a difference between soul and mind. How could it be translated, even if it is not an expression?
Thanks again
QBU


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## la reine victoria

Changing emotions?


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## zam

QBU said:
			
		

> In a poetic context, I would like to know how one would translate "états d'âme". I thought of "mood" but I am not satisfied with it. Thanks for your suggestion;
> QBU


 
Below are a few possibilities + examples (from the Net):

1) *To bare one's soul:* (approx.) = mettre son âme à nu/dévoiler ses états d'âme.
(self-reflection) to make known one's feelings/thoughts (in matters of conscience, etc.). 


2) *Soul-searching:* 
e.g= X, a soul-searching comedian: he ponders life and its vagaries ('X, 
un comique aux états d'âme qui livre ses réflexions sur la vie et ses caprices/aléas')
e.g: IBM does a bit of soul-searching: IBM affiche ses états d'âme

3) *Soul-baring*: sharing one's wishes, fears, etc. with s.o else
e.g: soul-baring confessions ('livrer/exposer ses états d'âme').

The phrase 'innermost soul' (or 'inmost soul' -rarer) could also correspond to 'état d'âme' in some contexts ('to share one's...).


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## Icetrance

Bonjour,


Les états-d'âme d'une femme (title of article)

I always thought that this refers to one's *insecurities*.

Ai-je tort ou raison?


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## Valosh

it means 'soul-searching"


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## watergirl

[...]

 Without more context, I'd guess something like:  "The Inner Life of a Woman" or "A Woman's Many Moods"


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## Icetrance

I've read the definition in French. But, I still think it can be something on the lines of "insecurities/qualms/misgivings."

I'm not sure in some contexts .  I think "angst" is possibly a decent translation.

Cet homme a des états-d'âmes =  This man has his insecurities about the world.


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## doodlebugger

_Etats-d'âme_ could also mean _second thoughts_.

_Il était d'accord mais maintenant il a des états-d'âme = he agreed but right now he is having second thoughts_


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## Icetrance

avoir des états-d'âme = to have qualms/misgivings/insecurities

avoir ses états-d'âme =  to have insecurities about the world


I think "des" and "ses" change the meaning somewhat. 

Ce que je ne comprends pas, c'est comment ce mot "états-d'âme" peut avoir le sens de "moods" en anglais.


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## Cath.S.

The word _état d'âme_ (no hyphen) literally means "state of the soul", therefore _mood_. _Insecurity_ is only one of the numerous moods it can designate.
_Second thoughts, scruples_, is also an accurate translation but valid in totally different contexts.


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## Outsider

Il me semble que « état-d'âme » signifie _state of mind_...


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## JeanDeSponde

Les _états d'âmes _are not always deep, philosophical questionings about life, the universe and everything. It is commonly a simple indecision or hesitation - _croissant, ou pain au chocolat ? - sans états d'âme, les deux !_
So yes, it can be insecurities, _angst_, qualms, but indecision and moods will as well fit many other contexts.


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## Cath.S.

_Outsider,_

_state of mind_ = état _d'esprit_, manière de voir / d'envisager les choses.

E.g.:
More quotes that represent my current *state of mind*
*=>*
De nouvelles citations qui reflétent mon* état d'esprit* actuel.

_État d'âme_ would not fit here, and I can't think of one single sentence where_ state of mind_ could be translated to_ états d'âme_ (once again, no hyphen), can you?


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## Outsider

Je crois que vous avez raison. Un état d'âme est plus permanent qu'un état d'esprit, n'est-ce pas ?


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## Cath.S.

Outsider said:


> Je crois que vous avez raison. Un état d'âme est plus permanent qu'un état d'esprit, n'est-ce pas ?


Non, justement, moins.


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## Orangutan

Bonjour, 

J'ai trouvé cette citation:

"_Sans états d__’__âme nous émettons des jugements sur telle ou telle population..."

_Ici, je pense que ca signifie "qualms." C'est correcte?


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## Icetrance

Orangutan said:


> Bonjour,
> 
> J'ai trouvé cette citation:
> 
> "_Sans états d__’__âme nous émettons des jugements sur telle ou telle population..."_
> 
> Ici, je pense que ca signifie "qualms." C'est correcte?


 
Je dirais que oui. Il s'agit de "qualms/misgivings" ici.

J'espère vous avoir aidé.


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## jacquesvd

Hello,

what could be an appropriate idiomatic English expression for 'états d'âme'?

p.ex. dans la phrase:"il était dans un de ces états d'âme où il devenait très difficile de raisonner calmement"


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## cnxtrans

You can actually get the answer in wordreference
http://www.wordreference.com/fren/%E9tats+d%27%E2me

Qualm; feelings; mood


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## Wopsy

cnxtrans said:


> You can actually get the answer in wordreference
> http://www.wordreference.com/fren/%E9tats+d%27%E2me
> 
> Qualm; feelings; mood



I think in the context given, 'states of mind' would be a better translation.

(Or 'moods', as given above)


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## jacquesvd

Wopsy said:


> I think in the context given, 'states of mind' would be a better translation.
> 
> (Or 'moods', as given above)


 
Thanks, in the example given it would indeed be best translated with 'states of mind' or 'in one of these moods'. In the meantime, I got wiser on the French forum too and noticed how different the acceptance of this locution could be according to the context, like: "je voterais pour tel parti sans aucun état d'âme'= I would vote for that party without any further thought or without any further ado.


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## wildan1

to me _état d'âme_ describes an upset or worried state

In AE you could simply say: 
_He was *in such a state* that it was difficult to reason with him._
or
_He was so *worked up* that you couldn't reason with him._


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## akaAJ

My question is whether the thread sentence has a French source or was composed for the occasion.  I usually run into the phrase as in the linked thread above "J'ai voté sans états d'âme" = "with a trouble-free conscience" or "without any hand-wringing qualms", i. e., either "with a clear conscience" or "I did what I had to do".


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## jacquesvd

akaAJ said:


> My question is whether the thread sentence has a French source or was composed for the occasion. I usually run into the phrase as in the linked thread above "J'ai voté sans états d'âme" = "with a trouble-free conscience" or "without any hand-wringing qualms", i. e., either "with a clear conscience" or "I did what I had to do".


 
My question arose this morning listening to France Culture where, in a programme on Niger,  the interviewed person referring to the situation of the Tuaregs said at one point: "bon, ils avaient des états d'âme' and I all of a sudden realised that although I had heard the expression so often, I couldn't precisely define what was meant.
I launched the thread on both the French Only and French-English forum and am wiser now because referring the received information back to what I heard this morning I understand that in this case the man was explaining that The Tuaregs were caught between the advantages of more modern city life and their love for more traditional nomad ways of life causing 'des états d'âme'   

I understood from the French forum that depending on the context the expression can have many translations. 
Thanks a lot for everybody's input.


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## akaAJ

jacquesvd: your last reply gives a reasonable example of a situation in which "bon, ils avaient des états d'âme" is properly used, and has the positive meanings for which I supplied the negatives.  My point is that your original thread  "il *etait * dans *un de ces*  états d'âme" threw us all off the track, because it is a very odd usage, and, apparently, was not in fact the original usage.


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## Wopsy

In the example of the Toureg given above, I would say 'They were quite torn' (between the avantages of the two lifestyles). Or ' They had reservations'.


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## wildan1

_They had mixed feelings (des sentiments mitigés)

They were between the devil and the deep blue sea or
They were between a rock and a hard place _ (neither choice or solution is really a good one)


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## jacquesvd

akaAJ said:


> jacquesvd: your last reply gives a reasonable example of a situation in which "bon, ils avaient des états d'âme" is properly used, and has the positive meanings for which I supplied the negatives. My point is that your original thread "il *etait *dans *un de ces* états d'âme" threw us all off the track, because it is a very odd usage, and, apparently, was not in fact the original usage.


 
The example of this morning is something I remember my grandmother saying of her son after they had quarrelled and I believe she then intended to say that he had been 'moody' again insinuating  that this moodiness was at the root of the quarrel.

I am not sure that this is standard French, although French was her mother tongue, but after reading Kateejah on the French Forum I understand the expression can be used in quite a few different contexts and perhaps have this as one of the possible though less common meanings.   

I understand from the French forum that a.o. 'un état d'âme' often is the feeling resulting from what seems to have been a wrong choice, or the qualms of not being able to make a choice.

Thanks for the interesting exchange of idea's.


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## freesia

Bonjour,

Comment ça veut dire:'Pour y parvenir, il faut faire des choix,ne pas avoir trop d*'états d'âme.* Dans les affaires comme en politique, les femmes ne font pas montre de plus grandes qualités humaines que les hommes.'

Merci d'avance.


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## ManuelM

WR translates état d'âme by qualm (http://www.wordreference.com/fren/%C3%A9tat) which is totally what it is in this context.


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## ciriz

Can someone think of a way to render "états d'âme" using the word "pangs"? Example: il a pris cette décision sans états d'âmes. He made this decision without pangs... ? What do you think?
Christine / ciriz

Correction: I really think using "qualms" (not "pangs") would be fitting. What do you think? A "pang" isn't enough of an "état."
Christine / ciriz


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## Włoskipolak 72

Hello 

I see that this subject has been already discussed long time ago ..,(more than 10 years) .., in different forums ...
Anyway _j'ai_ aussi _trouvé quelque chose_ d'intéressant au _sujet_ ..!


Un "état d'âme" est relatif à une humeur, à un sentiment. Au pluriel, la locution implique la notion d'une conscience morale et une idée de culpabilité. Agir sans états d'âme signifie agir sans scrupule.
L'impression ressentie, sentiment éprouvé ; scrupule de conscience remettant en question une ligne d'action.

Qu’est-ce qu’un « *état d’âme* »
C’est notre météo mentale, notre climat intérieur, un mélange d’émotions de faible intensité et de pensées vagabondes. C’est la tranquillité, la bonne humeur, mais aussi l’inquiétude, le ressentiment… Notre vie émotionnelle se déroule plus sous forme d’états d’âme que d’émotions fortes. 

English

*qualm * 
a pang or sudden feeling of doubt, esp concerning moral conduct; scruple
an uncomfortable feeling when you doubt if you are doing the right thing.

qualm implies a painful feeling of uneasiness arising from a consciousness that one is or may be acting wrongly 
[he had qualms about having cheated on the test]; scruple implies doubt or hesitation arising from difficulty in deciding what is right, proper, just, etc. 
[to break a promise without scruple]; compunction implies a twinge of conscience for wrongdoing, now often for a slight offense [to have no compunctions about telling a white lie]

*nos états d'âme = *our moods, emotional states ,


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