How To Say Funny In French: 7 Common Ways

Speaking French would be exciting once we know how to describe things in detail. Apart from the basic French knowledge beginners have to know including basic greetings, saying thank you, and French pronouns, knowing the common adjectives in a language is equally important too.

Today, we’ll focus on how to say some specific adjectives like how to say funny in French. Well, funny is French is drôle. This adjective is used by the French speakers in banters and conversations. Find out more on how to say funny in French and some other common adjectives used by French native speakers.


How To Say “Funny” In French & Examples

Wondering how to say “funny” in French? Let’s not waste any second and straightaway learn how the French people do it!

funny in french words and phrases


1) Drôle – Funny

The French word drôle is the most common and classic way to convey the meaning of ‘funny’. Most French people say this word to describe something funny. Although it’s a formal word, it’s typically used anywhere with everyone. If you’re in a formal setting but want to point out something funny, you could use the word drôle. Here are a few examples of how the French word looks like in sentences.

Cette émission est vraiment drôle = that show is really funny

Il nous a raconté une histoire tellement drôle que nous avons tous ri = He told us such a funny story that we all laughed

Vous êtes très drôle = You’re very funny

C’était vraiment drôle = It was really funny

From these examples, you may realize there’s a specific way to accentuate the meaning of funny in French spoken context. Try looking at the first and last example. The word drôle is accompanied by vraiment, a French adverb that brings the meaning of ‘really‘ if you translate it to English. Instead of just saying it’s funny in French, you can emphasize your point by adding really in front, forming the phrase vraiment drôle – really funny.

2) Très drôle – Very Funny

If you want to amplify your amusement towards a person, you can add the word très in front of drôle. When put together, it forms a phrase that literally means very funny. So, if you found someone to be really funny, you can use these words and say them to the one who makes you laugh.

Très drôle Schmidty, mais ma concentration ne sera pas interrompue

= Very funny, Schmidty, but my concentration will not be broken.

Tu es très drôle = You are very funny.

Tu es très drôle, Veronica = You are very funny, Veronica

3) Rigolo – Funny (Informal)

Looking for a way to say funny informally in the French language? Here’s one of the options you have – rigolo. This word is informal so feel free to use it around with your close friends and family members. It’s one of the most typical words French people use to say funny casually. This adjective originates from the verb rigoler, which means to laugh.

Un site rigolo avec plusieurs activités à explorer = It’s a funny website with lots of activities to explore

C’est rigolo = it’s funny

4) Marrant – Funny (Informal)

Another simple way that can help you describe something you view as funny would be marrant. Like rigolo, this one is normally found being spoken by French native speakers in casual settings. People often choose this one to label and depict the fact that something is funny, amusing, and chucklesome, you can include marrant in your sentences.

Also, unlike drôle, this one is mostly articulated by the French people when they find something to be funny, instead of someone. Yup, you can say marrant and rigolo to state that something is funny; be it a thing, a statement, a fact, a situation, a feeling – as long as it’s not a person. It’s more accurate to use drôle to say someone is funny in French.

C’est une idée plutôt marrante, et je pense que c’est une possibilité =It’s a pretty funny idea, and I think it’s a possibility.

C’est marrant que tu demandes ça = It’s funny you ask that.

Je pense à ce jeu vraiment marrant = So, just now, I thought of this really fun game.

5) Extrêmement drôle – Hilarious

Wanting to say it’s really funny in French? To the extent that it’s hilarious? Try using this one. Extrêmement drôle literally means extremely funny. How would you translate that? Yup – hilarious.

À vrai dire, c’est extrêmement drôle. – Actually, it’s extremely funny.

6) à mourir de rire – Hilarious (Informal)

If you’re looking for ways to say hilarious informally in the French language, here’s the way to do it. Many native speakers use this one when they see something extremely funny. For your information, à mourir de rire has also evolved into Internet slang (which you’ll see later) – it’s abbreviated and mostly opted by French speakers when talking casually with friends and family members.

Ce film est à mourir de rire – this movie is hilarious

Déjà, elle est à mourir de rire = First of all, she’s hilarious

La vie parfois, regardée à rebours, est à mourir de rire = Sometimes when you look at life in retrospect, it’s totally hilarious.

Félicitations pour ton spectacle, il est à mourir de rire = Congratulations on your show. It’s really funny.

7) Très marrant – Hilarious (informal)

Apart from the expression before this, there’s another way of saying hilarious in French. Rather than the previous one, you could say très marrant. In the French language, if you want to convey and point out the fact that something is hilarious, try saying très marrant. Just like à mourir de rire, you can use this casually with the people you’re most familiar with.

Je l’ai déjà vu et il est très marrant, je vous jure = Relax, I’ve watched it already, and I’m telling you, this is really funny.

C’est très marrant, Eva = It’s very funny, Eva.

Haha, très marrant les enfants = Haha, very funny, kids.


Funny In French – The Internet Slang

internet slang in french

Let’s learn what are the abbreviations French people use whenever they get a good laugh on the Internet. Here are a few words you’ll see in the Internet sphere when it comes to something funny.

1) MDR

MDR is one of the common Internet lingoes you’ll see online. People use it when text messaging or chatting online. It’s abbreviated from mort de rire, which means died from laughing or died of laughter. It’s equivalent to the English LOL; laugh out loud.

Due to that, the usage is exactly like how we use LOL in English. When something is extremely funny, it’s typical to see a friend sent “lollllll” to you and the case is precisely the same in French – when anything funny-related comes up, you’ll see this type of response a lot; mdrrrrrrrrr. A local tip for you – LOL is a word that is sometimes spoken. However, MDR is not articulated verbally – the locals-only use it in text messaging.

2) PTDR

Similar to the previous example, the locals also opt for this word to portray something that is funny. In short, PTDR stands for pété de rire, which translates to broken with laughter or exploding with laughter. There are quite a few translations to this one – you may hear or see that it’s akin to farted from laughing or pissing oneself by laughing. Due to the nature of its translations, this Internet slang is approximately identical to the English LMAO (Laughing My Ass Off), ROFL (Rolling On the Floor Laughing), and PMSL (Pissing Myself Laughing). Still, in terms of usage, PTDR loses to MDR as people favored using MDR more than PTDR.

3) LOL

Naturally, almost everyone who knows and learns the English language uses LOL to describe something funny. The same instance happens to the French community. This one is identically articulated like how it’s often said in English. Sometimes, the locals said it out loud. It’s also often said with a sarcastic tone and in France, the usage is interchangeable with MDR.


More Examples Of Saying “Funny” In French

1. C’est marrant, je ne me souviens pas de cela = Funny, I don’t remember that.

2. C’était tout à fait amusant = It was quite funny.

3. Ce fut extrêmement amusant = It was extremely funny.

4. Vous êtes marrante = You’re funny.

5. Ce n’est pas drôle! = It is not funny!

6. Vous êtes un drôle de zozo = You’re a funny guy.

7. J’ai un drôle de pressentiment au sujet de ce type = I’ve got a funny feeling about that guy.

8. Ça serait drôle = That would be funny.

9. Hé, les mecs! Ce n’est pas drôle! = Hey guys! That’s not funny!

10. J’ai pensé que tu essayais d’être drôle = I thought you were trying to be funny.

How To Say “Fun” In French

As with many French words, there is more than one word for how to say fun in French. The first word for fun in Korean is l’ amusement
and the second word is la rigolade.


Other Common Adjectives In French

Now that we have learned some ways to say funny, let’s see some new adjectives along with their English translations and feminine equivalents:

  1. Grand(e) – big/tall
  2. Petit(e) – small
  3. Bon(ne) – good
  4. Mauvais(e) – bad
  5. Beau/belle – beautiful
  6. Chaud(e) – hot
  7. Froid(e) – cold
  8. Gentil(le) – kind
  9. Heureux(se) – happy


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