Hello,
This week, let’s have a look at the negative words beginning with IN-, DIS-, DE(S)-, MIS-, words you cannot do without in English and whose meaning is not always easy to guess or remember. These PREFIXES are used to express the opposite form of a word, like for: insensitive = in + sensitive, disagree = dis + agree, destabilize = de + stabilize… In the case of MIS–, it’s a bit different: MIS- means “mal” in French or in an imperfect way, like for: “misunderstanding”, where somebody has not understood sthg well, in French: malentendu (the misunderstanding being the consequence of not understanding sthg well), and so on. I also give you hereafter a reminder of the negative adjectives in UN- (article of May 2015).
Here are some adjectives beginning with IN-:
inconsiderate = qui n’a pas de considération
indecisive = (pers.) indécis/e; (thing) peu concluant/e
indiscreet = indiscret, -ète
inexperienced = non expérimenté, sans expérience
insane = fou/folle
insensitive = (pers. or thing) insensible, indélicat/e
You must certainly have noticed that IN- when placed before a “P” or “B” becomes IM- as follows: discover the follow up and examples on Espace Pro by clicking above!