When you're learning French, you'll quickly discover that some words have many different ways to be expressed. Take 'stupid,' for instance. While 'stupide' is the obvious choice, French, much like English, offers a rich vocabulary to describe someone or something as less than intelligent.

Perhaps you've heard other terms in French movies or conversations and wondered about their exact meaning. Or maybe you just want to add more nuance to your own French expression, whether you're talking about a silly mistake, a foolish person, or a truly idiotic situation.

In this post, we're going to explore 9 different ways to say 'stupid' in French, helping you understand and use these terms with confidence and precision!

The general 'stupid' or 'silly' – bête

In French, bête is a common and versatile word to describe something or someone as 'stupid' or 'silly'.

Unlike many French adjectives, bête is invariable in gender and number. This means it remains the same whether it refers to a masculine or feminine noun, singular or plural. For example, un homme bête (a stupid man), une femme bête (a stupid woman), des hommes bêtes (stupid men), des femmes bêtes (stupid women).

Bête can be used in both informal and somewhat formal contexts, though it generally carries a lighter, more playful or exasperated tone than harsher synonyms like stupide or idiot.

However, bête also has another significant meaning: 'animal' or 'beast'. This dual nature can sometimes be confusing for learners.

To distinguish between 'stupid/silly' and 'animal/beast', pay attention to the article or context. When used as an adjective (meaning 'stupid'), it usually follows the noun. When used as a noun (meaning 'animal'), it is often preceded by an article (e.g., la bête, une bête).

For instance, C'est une idée bête (It's a silly idea) uses bête as an adjective. But La bête est dans la forêt (The beast is in the forest) uses bête as a noun, referring to an animal.

Many common French expressions use bête. For example, faire la bête means 'to play the fool' or 'to act silly'. Another popular one is bête comme ses pieds (as stupid as one's feet), meaning very stupid.

While bête can mean 'stupid', it often implies a lack of intelligence or thoughtlessness rather than malice. It's generally less harsh than calling someone stupide or idiot, which are stronger and more direct insults.

In French culture, calling something bête can be a mild reproof or a lighthearted jest. It's frequently used to describe actions or situations that are foolish or absurd rather than to directly insult someone's intelligence in a severe way.

💡 * Ne sois pas bête ! (Don't be silly!)

C'est une histoire bête. (It's a silly story.)

La bête a fui dans les bois. (The beast fled into the woods.)

Il est bête comme ses pieds. (He's very stupid / as stupid as a post.)

J'ai fait une bêtise. (I made a silly mistake. - Note: bêtise is the noun form)

The direct 'stupid' – stupide

When you need to directly translate 'stupid' into French, the most straightforward and common word you'll encounter is stupide.

Stupide is an adjective that directly translates to 'stupid' or 'foolish.' Interestingly, it's one of those French adjectives that doesn't change its spelling for gender. It remains stupide for both masculine and feminine nouns, whether singular or plural. For example, un homme stupide (a stupid man) and une femme stupide (a stupid woman).

Stupide carries a strong and direct connotation, similar to its English counterpart. It's used to describe someone or something that lacks intelligence, sense, or judgment. While direct, its impact can vary from a mild reproach to a harsh insult, depending on context and tone.

You can use stupide to describe a person, an action, an idea, or even a situation. For instance, 'C'est une idée stupide' (That's a stupid idea) or 'Il est stupide' (He is stupid). It's a versatile term for expressing a lack of intelligence or common sense.

While French has other words like bête (silly, foolish, sometimes stupid) or idiot (idiot, idiotic), stupide often implies a more fundamental lack of intellect or a more blatant display of foolishness. Bête can be softer, sometimes even endearing, while stupide is generally more critical.

Like in English, stupide can also function as a noun, meaning 'a stupid person' or 'an idiot.' For example, 'Ne sois pas stupide!' (Don't be stupid!) or 'Quel stupide!' (What an idiot!).

💡 * C'est une question stupide. (That's a stupid question.)

Je ne peux pas croire qu'il ait fait une chose aussi stupide. (I can't believe he did such a stupid thing.)

Elle n'est pas stupide, elle est juste un peu naïve. (She's not stupid, she's just a bit naive.)

Arrête de faire le stupide! (Stop acting stupid!)

Ces règles sont vraiment stupides. (These rules are really stupid.)

The 'idiot' or 'fool' – idiot/idiote

The 'idiot' or 'fool' – idiot/idiote.

Idiot or idiote is a very common French word meaning 'idiot' or 'fool'.

idiot - a male 'idiot' or an 'idiotic' male; idiote - a female 'idiot' or an 'idiotic' female; idiots - plural masculine; idiotes - plural feminine.

This term can function as both a noun (e.g., C'est un idiot - 'He's an idiot') and an adjective (e.g., C'est idiot - 'It's idiotic').

While generally informal and often used as an insult, idiot/idiote can also be used playfully or affectionately among close friends, similar to how 'silly' or 'goofball' might be used in English.

The severity of idiot/idiote largely depends on the context, tone of voice, and relationship between the speakers. It can range from a lighthearted jab to a serious insult.

As with many descriptive terms, always consider the situation to understand if idiot/idiote is meant harmlessly or offensively.

💡 * Quel idiot ! (What an idiot!)

Elle est idiote de faire ça. (She's an idiot for doing that.)

Ne sois pas idiot. (Don't be silly/idiotic.)

Mes amis sont des idiots, mais je les aime. (My friends are idiots, but I love them.)

The vulgar 'idiot' or 'asshole' – con/conne

The French term con (masculine) and conne (feminine) is a highly vulgar and offensive word, roughly translating to 'idiot,' 'stupid,' or 'asshole' in English. It's one of the most common French insults.

As an adjective, con/conne means 'stupid' or 'idiotic.' As a noun, it refers to a 'stupid person' or 'asshole.' The gender changes its form: un con (a male idiot), une conne (a female idiot).

This word is considered very rude and should be used with extreme caution, primarily in very informal or angry contexts. It carries a strong negative charge and can be deeply offensive, unlike milder terms for 'stupid.'

It's also used in various idiomatic expressions, such as être con comme un balai (to be as dumb as a broom) or faire le con (to act like an idiot/fool around).

💡 * T'es vraiment con ! (You're really stupid! / You're such an idiot!)

Quelle conne ! (What an idiot! - referring to a female)

Arrête de faire le con. (Stop acting like an idiot.)

C'est pas possible d'être aussi con. (It's not possible to be so stupid.)

Il m'a pris pour un con. (He took me for an idiot.)

The 'worthless' or 'lame' (implying stupidity) – nul/nulle

The “worthless” or “lame” (implying stupidity) – nul/nulle

In French, nul (masculine) and nulle (feminine) are adjectives often used to describe something or someone as “worthless,” “lame,” “useless,” or “terrible.”

It's an informal but very common term, used to express strong disapproval or disappointment. It can apply to objects, events, or people.

Remember to agree the adjective in gender and number: nul (m. sing.), nulle (f. sing.), nuls (m. plur.), nulles (f. plur.).

When describing a person, nul/nulle often carries a stronger negative connotation, implying they are incompetent, stupid, or simply very bad at something specific.

Use it to convey strong negative sentiment, but be mindful that calling someone nul can be quite offensive, similar to calling them “an idiot” or “a loser” in English.

💡 * Ce film est vraiment nul. (This movie is really bad/lame.)

Elle est nulle en maths. (She is worthless/terrible at math.)

Mon équipe est nulle, on a perdu encore. (My team is worthless/lame, we lost again.)

Ne sois pas nul ! (Don't be stupid/lame!)

Ces idées sont nulles. (These ideas are worthless/lame.)

The 'cretin' or 'imbecile' – crétin/crétine

In French, crétin (masculine) and crétine (feminine) are derogatory terms used to describe someone who is foolish, stupid, or an imbecile. It's a fairly strong insult, implying a lack of intelligence or common sense.

Like many French adjectives and nouns, crétin changes form depending on the gender of the person it describes. You say un crétin for a man and une crétine for a woman. It can also be used as an adjective, for example, un comportement crétin (a foolish behavior).

Crétin is more than just 'silly'; it suggests a profound and often irritating stupidity. It's not usually used lightly and can be quite offensive, though it's less vulgar than some other French insults. It often implies exasperation.

You might hear crétin used in exasperated tones, for example, when someone makes a particularly foolish mistake. It's a common term in informal speech but would be inappropriate in formal settings. It's similar in strength to calling someone a 'moron' or 'idiot' in English.

💡 * Quel crétin ! Il a oublié ses clés encore. (What an idiot! He forgot his keys again.)

Ne sois pas crétine, ça ne marchera jamais. (Don't be foolish, that will never work.)

Elle a fait une remarque tellement crétine. (She made such a stupid remark.)

Ces crétins n'ont rien compris. (Those imbeciles understood nothing.)

The 'moron' or 'dunce' – abruti/abrutie

Abruti (masculine) and abrutie (feminine) are strong, informal French terms used to describe someone considered a 'moron,' 'dunce,' or 'idiot.' It implies a significant lack of intelligence, foolishness, or a particularly stupid act.

This word functions as both an adjective and a noun. You would use abruti for a male (e.g., C'est un abruti - He's a moron, or Il est abruti - He is stupid) and abrutie for a female (e.g., C'est une abrutie - She's a moron, or Elle est abrutie - She is stupid).

💡 * Ne sois pas un abruti ! (Don't be a moron!)

Elle s'est comportée comme une abrutie. (She behaved like an idiot.)

Quel abruti a laissé la porte ouverte ? (Which moron left the door open?)

Tu es vraiment abruti de croire ça. (You are really stupid to believe that.)

The 'imbecile' or 'mentally weak' – débile

The French word débile literally means 'weak' or 'feeble.' However, in common usage, it is almost exclusively used as an adjective or noun to mean 'imbecile' or 'mentally weak.'

While its literal root is 'weak,' débile carries a strong, negative connotation and is considered a significant insult. It implies a lack of intelligence, foolishness, or mental incapacity, and can be quite offensive.

As an adjective, débile is invariable, meaning it doesn't change form for gender or number (e.g., un homme débile, une femme débile, des personnes débiles). It can also be used as a noun: un débile (a male imbecile) or une débile (a female imbecile).

💡 * Tu es débile ou quoi? (Are you an imbecile or what?)

C'est une idée complètement débile. (It's a completely idiotic idea.)

Ne sois pas débile! (Don't be stupid/an imbecile!)

Il s'est comporté comme un débile. (He behaved like an imbecile.)

The 'fool' or 'nitwit' – andouille

In French, when you want to call someone a 'fool' or a 'nitwit' in a relatively mild and informal way, the word you're looking for is andouille.

Interestingly, the word andouille literally refers to a type of French sausage made from pork intestines. Over time, perhaps due to its somewhat unappealing appearance or texture to some, it evolved metaphorically to describe a clumsy, silly, or foolish person. Think of it as calling someone a 'silly sausage'!

Using andouille is generally considered a mild insult, often used playfully among friends or when expressing exasperation. It's not as harsh as some other French insults and implies a lack of intelligence or common sense rather than malice. It's typically reserved for informal contexts.

While andouille is grammatically a feminine noun, it can be used to refer to both men and women. For example, you can say C'est une andouille (He/She is a fool). The plural form is andouilles.

💡 * Ne sois pas une andouille, réfléchis avant d'agir! (Don't be a fool, think before you act!)

Oh là là, quelle andouille j'ai été d'oublier mes clés! (Oh dear, what a nitwit I was to forget my keys!)

Ces andouilles ont encore fait une bêtise. (Those fools/nitwits messed up again.)

Il a fait une erreur stupide, c'est vraiment une andouille. (He made a stupid mistake, he's really a fool.)

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

Our list covers many common ways to say 'stupid' in French. However, the French language, like any other, possesses a vast vocabulary, including many nuanced and often impolite terms to describe a lack of intelligence. From mild to extremely offensive, the options are plentiful.

To discover more regional or slang terms, you can try an online search for 'comment dire stupide en ___' followed by a specific Francophone country or region, or even 'argot pour stupide'.

You might encounter many colorful synonyms for 'stupid' in French. However, it's crucial to check each word's definition, understand its level of politeness (or impoliteness!), and observe its usage in context before you consider using it yourself. Many of these terms can be highly offensive.

As you immerse yourself in French media — reading, watching films, or listening to podcasts — you'll undoubtedly come across various expressions for 'stupid'. Pay close attention to the context and the speaker's tone to grasp their true meaning and impact.

For a comprehensive list of synonyms, including nuances and usage notes, the WordReference entry for stupide is an excellent starting point. It often provides warnings for offensive terms.

I hope this article has broadened your understanding of the various ways to express 'stupid' in French, and crucially, the importance of choosing your words carefully. As the French saying goes, 'La parole est d'argent, le silence est d'or.' (Speech is silver, silence is golden.) — sometimes, it's best to observe before speaking, especially with such impactful vocabulary.

9 ways to say "stupid" in French