French Phrase
Essaie de rester calme.
Meaning
A gentle command meaning ‘Try to stay calm.’ It is used to encourage someone to keep composure, especially in a tense or stressful moment.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to calm someone down – during an argument, before a test, in an emergency, or any situation where nerves might get the better of a person.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Essaiederestercalme
Essayer (imperative)
‘Essaie’ is the 2nd‑person singular imperative of the verb *essayer* (to try). The final ‘‑e’ is kept to avoid the hiatus with the following ‘de’.
Preposition *de* after *essayer*
*Essayer* is followed by the preposition *de* when it introduces an infinitive verb.
Infinitive *rester*
*Rester* stays in the infinitive after *de*; it means ‘to stay’ or ‘to remain’.
Adjective *calme* as predicate
*Calme* is an adjective used predicatively, meaning ‘calm’. No article is needed because it describes a state.
🗨In Conversation
Je sens que tu t’énerves, essaie de rester calme.
I can see you're getting upset, try to stay calm.
D’accord, je vais respirer profondément.
Okay, I'll take a deep breath.
✕Common Mistakes
Essayer à rester calme.
The verb *essayer* never takes *à* before an infinitive; it always uses *de*.
Essaie rester calme.
You must keep the preposition *de* between *essaie* and the infinitive.
Essaie de rester calmé.
*Calmé* is the past participle meaning ‘calmed’; here you need the adjective *calme*.
↔Alternatives
Tente de rester calme.
Try to stay calm.
Garde ton calme.
Keep your calm.
Reste calme.
Stay calm.
Cultural Tip
In French, the imperative *essaie* can sound a bit firm; adding *s’il te plaît* (please) softens it: *Essaie de rester calme, s’il te plaît.* Also, avoid the common mistake of saying *essayer à* – the correct construction is *essayer de* + infinitive.