la conscience

/la kɔ̃.sjɑ̃s/
awareness or moral sense

Il a une conscience aiguë de ses responsabilités.

He has a keen awareness of his responsibilities.


formal

The state of being aware of and able to think about one's thoughts, feelings, and actions; moral awareness or sense of right and wrong.

La conscience est la capacité de se connaître soi-même.

Consciousness is the ability to know oneself.

Il a agi selon sa conscience.

He acted according to his conscience.

In French, 'la conscience' can refer to both self-awareness and moral conscience, depending on context.

Collocations

avoir conscience deto be aware ofagir selon sa conscienceto act according to one's conscience

Related Phrases

Pro Tip

Context Matters

The meaning of 'la conscience' shifts between self-awareness and moral sense based on context.

Gold Rule

Formal Usage

'La conscience' is typically used in formal or philosophical discussions.

Word Origin

From Latin 'conscientia', meaning 'knowledge with', from 'con-' (with) + 'scientia' (knowledge).

Usage Notes

In philosophical contexts, 'la conscience' often refers to self-awareness, while in ethical contexts, it refers to moral awareness.

Word Breakdown

con-
with
prefix
+
-science
knowledge
root
Dictionnaire Français-Anglais