Ways to Say "It's Funny" in French

French has a rich vocabulary for expressing humor and amusement, from formal appreciation to slang expressions of hilarity. This guide will help you choose the right expression for any situation and better understand French humor culture.

Table of Contents

Expressions by Formality Level

Formal/Professional

1. C’est amusant

Pronunciation: /sɛt amyzɑ̃/ (set ah-mew-zahn)

Formal, polite way to say something is amusing
Appropriate in professional settings
Example: “Son anecdote était amusante.” (His/her anecdote was amusing.)

2. C’est divertissant

Pronunciation: /sɛ divɛʁtisɑ̃/ (say dee-vair-tee-sahn)

More formal, means “it’s entertaining”
Less about humor, more about pleasant entertainment
Example: “Ce spectacle est très divertissant.” (This show is very entertaining.)

Semi-Formal/Standard

3. C’est hilarant

Pronunciation: /sɛt ilɑʁɑ̃/ (set ee-lah-rahn)

Means “it’s hilarious”
Stronger than “funny,” indicates loud laughter
Example: “Ce film est vraiment hilarant !” (This movie is truly hilarious!)

4. C’est comique

Pronunciation: /sɛ kɔmik/ (say koh-meek)

Standard expression, means “it’s comical”
Often used for intentional humor
Example: “Sa façon de raconter l’histoire est comique.” (His/her way of telling the story is comical.)

Casual/Everyday

5. C’est drôle

Pronunciation: /sɛ dʁol/ (say drohl)

Most common everyday expression for “it’s funny”
Versatile and widely understood
Example: “C’est drôle comme les choses changent.” (It’s funny how things change.)

6. C’est marrant

Pronunciation: /sɛ maʁɑ̃/ (say mah-rahn)

Casual, friendly way to say something is funny
Very common in everyday speech
Example: “Son histoire était marrante.” (His/her story was funny.)

7. C’est rigolo

Pronunciation: /sɛ ʁigolo/ (say ree-go-loh)

Playful, light-hearted expression
Slightly childish but used by adults too
Example: “Ce petit jeu est rigolo.” (This little game is fun/funny.)

Very Informal/Slang

8. C’est trop drôle

Pronunciation: /sɛ tʁo dʁol/ (say troh drohl)

Intensified version with “trop” (too/very)
Popular among younger people
Example: “Ce mème est trop drôle !” (This meme is so funny!)

9. C’est fun

Pronunciation: /sɛ fœn/ (say fun)

Anglicism, very casual
More about being fun than funny
Example: “Cette soirée était fun.” (This party was fun.)

10. Ça me fait marrer

Pronunciation: /sa mə fɛ maʁe/ (sah muh fay mah-ray)

Very casual, means “it makes me laugh”
Example: “Ses blagues me font marrer.” (His/her jokes make me laugh.)

Additional Expressions

C’est à mourir de rire – Very funny, “it’s to die laughing”
C’est à se tordre de rire – Extremely funny, “it’s enough to make you double over with laughter”
C’est tordant – Very funny, “it’s twisting” (implying laughing so hard you twist)
Ça me fait pleurer de rire – “It makes me cry with laughter”
C’est un truc de fou – Very informal, “it’s crazy stuff” (used for something extremely funny)
C’est la blague – Informal, “that’s the joke”
J’en pleure – Very informal, “I’m crying from it” (from laughter)