Lucas et Anna observent leur nouvelle école

What does “avoir l’air” mean in French?

Avoir l’air is how French reports an impression rather than a fact: il a l’air fatigué (“he looks tired”), elle a l’air intelligente (“she seems clever”), ça a l’air bon (“that looks good”). Follow it with an adjective, or with de plus a noun or an infinitive: il a l’air d’un pirate, ça a l’air de marcher. It is the phrase for describing strangers politely.

Agreement is famously relaxed. When avoir l’air simply means “to seem,” the adjective normally agrees with the subject: elle a l’air contente. Agreeing with air itself — elle a l’air content — is also defensible and tilts the sense towards physical appearance. Both are accepted; subject agreement is the safer default. Close neighbours: sembler, paraître, and the flatter on dirait.