Ever found yourself in France needing to describe someone you don't know? While you might have a go-to word for 'stranger,' the French language is full of nuance and offers a variety of terms depending on the situation.

Is this person an unknown individual, a foreigner from another country, or someone who simply seems out of place? Each context might call for a different word.

Let's dive into nine essential ways to say 'stranger' in French, so you can speak with more precision and confidence!

The standard 'stranger' or 'unknown person' – un inconnu/une inconnue

The standard 'stranger' or 'unknown person' – un inconnu/une inconnue

Un inconnu (masculine) or une inconnue (feminine) is the most direct and common way to say 'a stranger' or 'an unknown person' in French. It is derived directly from the adjective inconnu(e), which means 'unknown'.

This noun must agree with the person or people it’s referring to. You will see it in four forms:

un inconnu: a male stranger
une inconnue: a female stranger
des inconnus: multiple male strangers or a mixed-gender group of strangers
des inconnues: multiple female strangers

This term is neutral and suitable for all situations, whether formal or informal. It simply states that a person is not known, carrying no inherent positive or negative judgment.

A common mistake for learners is confusing inconnu with étranger. While étranger can mean stranger, its primary and most common meaning is 'foreigner'. If you want to talk about a person you simply don't know, inconnu is the precise word. For example, the classic parental advice 'Don't talk to strangers' is Ne parle pas aux inconnus.

Remember that inconnu(e) also functions as an adjective meaning 'unknown'. The context makes the meaning clear. As a noun, it is preceded by an article (un, une, l'). As an adjective, it usually follows the noun it describes. For instance: C'est un inconnu (He is a stranger) versus Cette adresse m'est inconnue (This address is unknown to me).

💡 * Un inconnu m'a demandé l'heure dans la rue.

Elle a reçu un bouquet de fleurs d'une parfaite inconnue.

Méfiez-vous des inconnus qui vous proposent des offres trop belles pour être vraies.

Le visage de l'agresseur reste inconnu des services de police.

The 'foreigner' – un étranger/une étrangère

The most direct and common way to say 'a foreigner' in French is with the noun un étranger for a male or une étrangère for a female. This term literally refers to someone who is from a country other than the one they are in.

While étranger/étrangère is the correct term, its connotation can sometimes feel formal or impersonal. It strictly defines someone by their non-national status, which can feel distancing in casual social interactions. It emphasizes a person's 'otherness'.

This word is most appropriately used in official, administrative, or legal contexts. You'll see it on government forms, in news reports about demographics, or in discussions about immigration law, such as le droit des étrangers (the rights of foreigners).

In everyday conversation, it's often more natural and welcoming to specify a person's nationality or origin. For example, instead of saying C'est un étranger, it is more common to say Il est canadien (He is Canadian) or Elle vient du Japon (She comes from Japan).

Don't forget that étranger also functions as an adjective meaning 'foreign.' For instance, you would say une langue étrangère (a foreign language) or un pays étranger (a foreign country). Context makes it clear whether you're talking about a person or a concept.

💡 * Il y a beaucoup d'étrangers qui visitent Paris chaque année.

En tant qu'étrangère, j'ai dû demander un visa pour travailler en France.

La loi s'applique à tous, citoyens comme étrangers.

Mon voisin est un étranger, il vient d'Argentine.

The 'passerby' – un passant/une passante

To talk about a 'passerby' in French, you'll use the noun un passant for a male or unspecified person, and une passante for a female.

This word literally means 'one who is passing by.' It's used to describe a random person walking by a particular place, often someone who is a witness to an event or is simply part of the background scenery of a street.

Like many French nouns for people, it changes based on gender and number:

un passant: a male passerby
une passante: a female passerby
des passants: multiple male or mixed-gender passersby
des passantes: multiple female passersby

You might recognize that passant is the present participle of the verb passer (to pass). In this common French construction, the participle is used as a noun to describe a person based on their action.

You'll often encounter un passant or une passante in news reports, police stories, or descriptions of city life where an anonymous person is mentioned. For example, 'A passerby found the lost wallet and returned it.'

💡 * Un passant a vu l'accident et a appelé la police. (A passerby saw the accident and called the police.)

La journaliste a interrogé une passante pour avoir son avis. (The journalist interviewed a female passerby to get her opinion.)

Les passants admiraient les vitrines de Noël. (The passersby were admiring the Christmas window displays.)

Je me suis arrêté pour demander mon chemin à un passant. (I stopped to ask a passerby for directions.)

The 'newcomer' or 'new arrival' – un nouveau venu/une nouvelle venue

The phrase un nouveau venu or une nouvelle venue is the direct French equivalent for a 'newcomer' or 'new arrival'. It literally translates to 'a new come (person)'.

This term must agree in gender with the person it describes. Use un nouveau venu for a male newcomer and une nouvelle venue for a female newcomer. The article (un/une) and the adjectives (nouveau/nouvelle, venu/venue) all change.

When referring to multiple people, the phrase becomes plural. Use des nouveaux venus for a group of men or a mixed-gender group, and des nouvelles venues for a group composed entirely of women.

This expression is standard and widely used in various contexts like a workplace, school, or neighborhood. It’s a neutral and polite way to refer to someone who has recently joined a group or arrived in a place.

💡 *Le nouveau venu dans l'équipe est très sympathique. (The newcomer on the team is very nice.)
*Je suis la nouvelle venue au bureau, enchantée ! (I am the new arrival at the office, pleased to meet you!)
*Les nouveaux venus ont été accueillis par le directeur. (The new arrivals were welcomed by the director.)
*Bienvenue aux nouvelles venues dans notre club de lecture. (Welcome to the new arrivals in our book club.)

The 'outsider' or 'person from elsewhere' – quelqu'un d'ailleurs

The phrase quelqu'un d'ailleurs literally translates to 'someone from elsewhere' or 'someone from another place.'

This expression is used to describe a person who is not from the local area, town, or a specific group. It broadly means 'an outsider,' 'a stranger,' or simply a person with different origins.

While often neutral and descriptive, the tone of quelqu'un d'ailleurs can vary with context. It can simply state a fact, but it can also imply a sense of distance, otherness, or not belonging, depending on the speaker's intent.

This phrase is commonly used in communities to refer to newcomers or individuals who don't share the same local background. It can also be used metaphorically to describe someone who thinks or acts differently from the rest of a group.

Use quelqu'un d'ailleurs to identify someone as not being from the immediate social or geographical circle. Pay close attention to the context to understand if it's being used as a simple description or to create a sense of separation.

💡 * Il ne connaît personne ici, c'est quelqu'un d'ailleurs. (He doesn't know anyone here, he's from elsewhere.)

On sent qu'elle n'est pas du village ; c'est quelqu'un d'ailleurs. (You can tell she's not from the village; she's an outsider.)

Je me suis toujours senti comme quelqu'un d'ailleurs dans cette équipe. (I always felt like an outsider on this team.)

The literal 'a person whom I do not know' – une personne que je ne connais pas

The most direct and literal way to say 'a person whom I do not know' in French is exactly that: une personne que je ne connais pas. This phrase is grammatically correct and will be understood by any French speaker.

Let's break down the phrase. It's composed of une personne (a person), the relative pronoun que (whom/that), and the clause je ne connais pas (I do not know). This structure uses the verb connaître, which means 'to know' or 'to be familiar with' a person, place, or thing. The negation is formed with ne...pas around the verb.

While perfectly correct, this full phrase can sound a bit formal or overly descriptive in casual conversation. You would typically use it when you need to be very precise, for instance, in a formal description, giving a statement, or when you want to emphasize that the person is a complete unknown to you. In day-to-day speech, it can come across as slightly robotic.

For most everyday situations, French speakers would use a more concise term. The direct equivalent of 'a stranger' is un inconnu (for a male) or une inconnue (for a female). These words are much more common and natural for referring to someone you don't know.

In summary, while it's good to know the literal phrase une personne que je ne connais pas for its grammatical structure and for situations requiring precision, you should aim to use un inconnu / une inconnue in your daily conversations to sound more like a native speaker. Use the long form for emphasis, and the short form for convenience.

💡 * Il y avait une personne que je ne connais pas à la fête hier soir.

La police recherche un homme, un inconnu pour le voisinage.

Une inconnue m'a gentiment aidé à porter mes valises.

Pourquoi est-ce que tu parles à des inconnus ?

1. The 'unfamiliar face' – un visage inconnu

To describe an 'unfamiliar face' or a 'stranger,' the French use the expression un visage inconnu. It literally translates to 'an unknown face'.

The phrase consists of two parts: visage, a masculine noun for 'face,' and inconnu, the adjective for 'unknown.' Because visage is masculine, the adjective inconnu remains in its masculine form. For a feminine noun, it would be inconnue.

This expression is perfect for situations where you see someone you don't recognize. It's often used in narrative or descriptive contexts to highlight the presence of a stranger.

💡 * J'ai vu un visage inconnu à la fenêtre. (I saw an unfamiliar face at the window.)

Parmi les invités, il n'y avait qu'un seul visage inconnu. (Among the guests, there was only one unfamiliar face.)

Le détective étudiait la photo, cherchant un visage inconnu. (The detective was studying the photo, looking for an unknown face.)

The formal 'unknown individual' – un individu inconnu

The formal 'unknown individual' – un individu inconnu

The term un individu translates to "an individual." Paired with inconnu (unknown), it refers to an unidentified person, typically in a formal, official, or administrative context. It's the kind of language you'd hear in a news report or a police statement.

Using individu is a very impersonal and detached way to refer to a person. While neutral in official contexts, in casual conversation it can sound slightly pejorative or suspicious, as if you're deliberately distancing yourself from the person.

You would not use this term for someone you know or in a friendly setting. It is strictly for situations where a person's identity is unknown and the context is formal, like describing a suspect or an unidentified person in an official report.

💡 * La police recherche un individu inconnu qui a été vu quittant les lieux. (The police are searching for an unknown individual who was seen leaving the premises.)

Un individu inconnu a déposé une enveloppe sur le bureau. (An unknown individual left an envelope on the desk.)

Le rapport fait état d'un individu inconnu aperçu près de la banque. (The report mentions an unknown individual spotted near the bank.)

The informal 'some guy' – un type

One of the most common informal words for 'a guy' or 'a man' in French is un type. It's a versatile, everyday term you'll hear frequently in conversations. While its literal translation is 'a type,' in practice, it functions very similarly to the English word 'guy' or 'dude'.

The word un type is distinctly informal. You wouldn't use it in a formal essay or when addressing someone with high authority. However, it's perfectly normal in daily interactions with friends, family, and peers. It's the standard way to refer to an unknown man in a casual context.

The connotation of un type is generally neutral but can be colored by the adjective that follows it. For example, un type sympa means 'a nice guy,' while un sale type means 'a nasty guy.' On its own, it simply points out an individual male.

A very close synonym for un type is un mec. Both are informal and mean 'a guy' or 'a dude.' They are often interchangeable in conversation, with un mec sometimes being used more to refer to a boyfriend (mon mec) or a guy in a more general, familiar sense.

💡 * C'est qui, le type là-bas ? (Who's that guy over there?)

J'ai croisé un type étrange dans le métro. (I passed a strange guy in the metro.)

C'est un type bien, il m'a beaucoup aidé. (He's a good guy, he helped me a lot.)

Il y a un type qui te cherche à l'accueil. (There's a guy looking for you at the reception.)

Are there other ways to say 'stranger' in French?

Are there other ways to say “stranger” in French?

Our list includes the most frequent and essential ways to say 'stranger' in French. However, the language is rich with other terms, from formal vocabulary to modern slang, that can add nuance to your conversations.

To expand your vocabulary, you can do an online search for “synonymes pour inconnu” or even explore regional terms from different Francophone countries.

Remember that context is crucial. A word like étranger can mean 'foreigner' or 'stranger,' while inconnu specifically refers to an 'unknown person.' Always check the definition and see a word used in context before you try it yourself.

As you read, watch, and listen to French media, pay close attention to how native speakers refer to people they don't know. This is the best way to grasp the subtle differences in connotation.

If you're looking for more synonyms or related expressions, the WordReference entries for étranger and inconnu are excellent resources to explore further.

I hope this guide has been helpful. To finish, here’s a hopeful and popular quote to keep in mind: Un inconnu est un ami qui ne s'est pas encore présenté. (A stranger is a friend you haven't met yet.)

'9 ways to say "stranger" in French'