While "bizarre" is a good go-to for "weird" in French, sometimes you need a little more nuance. Just like in English, there are countless ways to describe something out of the ordinary, from slightly unusual to truly strange! Learning these different expressions will not only expand your vocabulary but also help you sound more like a native speaker. Let's dive into 9 fantastic ways to say "weird" in French!

The standard 'weird' or 'bizarre' – bizarre

The standard ‘weird’ or ‘bizarre’ – bizarre

Bizarre is the most common and versatile French word for 'weird', 'strange', or 'bizarre'. It's your go-to adjective when something feels out of the ordinary.

Unlike many French adjectives, bizarre is invariable for masculine and feminine forms. This means it remains the same whether the noun it describes is masculine or feminine. For instance, you'd say un homme bizarre (a weird man) and une femme bizarre (a weird woman).

While it doesn't change for gender, bizarre does agree in number. To make it plural, you simply add an 's' to the end: des hommes bizarres (weird men) and des femmes bizarres (weird women).

You can use bizarre in almost any context, from casual conversations to more formal writing. It's suitable for describing people, objects, situations, or events that are unusual, odd, or simply unexpected.

While bizarre often carries a slightly negative or unsettling connotation, it can also be used neutrally or even with a hint of amusement, depending on the context and tone. A very common phrase you'll hear is C'est bizarre (It's weird/strange), used to comment on an unexpected observation or event.

For example, if someone tells you an unbelievable story, you might simply exclaim, C'est bizarre! Or, if you see something unusual, you could say, J'ai vu quelque chose de bizarre (I saw something strange).

💡 * C'est une histoire bizarre. (It's a weird story.)

• Il a des idées très bizarres. (He has very strange ideas.)
• Elle a trouvé un objet bizarre dans le jardin. (She found a strange object in the garden.)
• Pourquoi tu as l'air si bizarre aujourd'hui? (Why do you look so strange today?)
• Ces nouvelles règles sont vraiment bizarres. (These new rules are truly bizarre.)

The 'strange' or 'unusual' – étrange

When you want to express that something is 'strange,' 'odd,' or 'unusual' in French, the adjective you'll most frequently encounter is étrange.

Étrange directly translates to 'strange,' 'odd,' 'weird,' or 'unusual.' It's a versatile word used to describe anything that deviates from the norm or is unexpected.

You can use étrange to describe a person's behavior, personality, or even their appearance if it's out of the ordinary. For example, a sudden, uncharacteristic silence might be described as étrange.

Beyond people, étrange is widely applied to objects, events, or situations. An unusual sound, a peculiar smell, or a bizarre turn of events can all be labeled as étrange.

A useful point to remember is that étrange is an invariable adjective in terms of its spelling for masculine and feminine forms, both singular and plural. It remains étrange.

While étrange can simply mean 'unusual,' it often carries a subtle connotation of something a bit unsettling, mysterious, or thought-provoking, rather than just merely different.

💡 * C'est une histoire très étrange. (It's a very strange story.)

• Il a un comportement étrange ces derniers temps. (He's been acting strange lately.)
• J'ai entendu un bruit étrange dans le jardin. (I heard a strange noise in the garden.)
• Elle a trouvé la situation étrange et un peu inquiétante. (She found the situation strange and a little unsettling.)
• C'est étrange, je ne me souviens pas de t'avoir déjà vu ici. (It's strange, I don't remember ever seeing you here.)

The 'odd' or 'peculiar' – singulier/singulière

The French adjectives singulier and singulière are used to describe something or someone as 'odd,' 'peculiar,' 'unusual,' or 'unique.'

Singulier is the masculine singular form, while singulière is the feminine singular form. Like most French adjectives, they must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

While often translated as 'odd' or 'peculiar,' singulier/singulière carries a nuance of being remarkably distinct or noteworthy, rather than just simply strange (étrange) or weird (bizarre). It can sometimes imply a unique charm or an intriguing quality.

As is typical for most descriptive adjectives in French, singulier/singulière is placed after the noun it describes. For example, un personnage singulier (a peculiar character) or une histoire singulière (an unusual story).

The plural forms are singuliers (masculine plural) and singulières (feminine plural). Remember to add an 's' for plural, maintaining the gender agreement.

You'll often hear singulier/singulière used to describe people, styles, events, or situations that stand out from the ordinary in a noticeable way.

💡 * C'est une personne très singulière. (She's a very peculiar/unique person.)

• Il a un style vestimentaire singulier. (He has a unique/unusual fashion style.)
• Leur maison a une architecture singulière. (Their house has a peculiar/distinctive architecture.)
• J'ai vécu une expérience singulière hier. (I had a peculiar/unusual experience yesterday.)
• Ces tableaux ont des couleurs singulières. (These paintings have unique colors.)

The 'crazy' or 'wacky' – loufoque

The French adjective loufoque translates to 'crazy,' 'wacky,' 'zany,' or 'eccentric' in English. It describes something or someone that is comically absurd or delightfully odd.

Loufoque is generally used in an informal and often humorous context. It implies a lighthearted, amusing kind of craziness, rather than a serious mental health issue. Think of a silly sketch or an outlandish character.

As an adjective, loufoque is noteworthy for being invariable in French. This means its form does not change to agree in gender or number with the noun it modifies. It always remains loufoque, whether referring to a masculine, feminine, singular, or plural noun.

While it means 'crazy,' it's crucial to distinguish loufoque from words like fou or folle, which can carry a stronger, more serious implication of madness. Loufoque is about charming peculiarity or amusing absurdity.

💡 * C'est une histoire complètement loufoque. (It's a completely wacky story.)

• Il a des idées vraiment loufoques. (He has really crazy ideas.)
• Le spectacle était loufoque et hilarant. (The show was zany and hilarious.)
• Elle adore les films avec des personnages loufoques. (She loves movies with wacky characters.)
• Son costume était tellement loufoque qu'il a fait rire tout le monde. (His costume was so crazy it made everyone laugh.)

The 'nuts' or 'bonkers' – dingue

The 'nuts' or 'bonkers' – dingue

The French adjective dingue translates roughly to 'nuts,' 'bonkers,' 'crazy,' or 'insane' in English.

It's an informal term, often used in casual conversations to describe someone or something that is incredibly surprising, amusing, or indeed, a bit mad.

One helpful aspect of dingue is that it's invariable in gender and number. It remains the same whether you're talking about a male or female, singular or plural noun.

You'll often hear it used to describe people with eccentric behavior, exciting situations, or even just something incredibly good or bad. Its versatility makes it a popular slang term.

While it can mean 'crazy' in a literal sense, it's frequently used hyperbolically to express extreme enthusiasm, disbelief, or frustration. Think of it as a strong exclamation of 'Wow, that's wild!'

💡 * C'est dingue ce qu'il a fait ! (It's crazy what he did!)

• Elle est complètement dingue de chocolat. (She's absolutely nuts about chocolate.)
• Tu es dingue de partir comme ça ! (You're crazy to leave like that!)
• Ce film est dingue, tu dois le voir ! (This movie is insane, you have to see it!)
• J'ai eu une journée dingue au travail. (I had a crazy day at work.)

The 'eccentric' or 'quirky' – excentrique

In French, the adjective excentrique is the direct equivalent of the English word “eccentric.” It describes someone or something that deviates from the conventional, the normal, or the established. It can also be used to mean “quirky” or “unconventional.”

Like its English counterpart, excentrique often carries a slightly positive or neutral connotation, suggesting individuality, originality, or harmless oddity rather than outright madness. It implies a distinctive personality or style that stands out from the crowd.

You can use excentrique to describe people, their behavior, their fashion sense, or even their ideas. For instance, an artist with an unusual studio or a person with a peculiar hobby might be described as excentrique. It’s a versatile word applicable to various aspects of life.

While similar, excentrique generally has a softer, more charming feel than bizarre (bizarre) or étrange (strange), which can sometimes imply something more unsettling or inexplicable. Excentrique celebrates uniqueness, whereas bizarre might suggest something truly odd or out of place.

Using excentrique is generally safe and well-understood. It's a common and standard French adjective. When you want to highlight someone's charmingly unconventional nature or a delightful oddity, excentrique is the perfect word.

💡 * Mon voisin est un artiste très excentrique. (My neighbor is a very eccentric artist.)

• Elle a un style vestimentaire assez excentrique. (She has a rather eccentric fashion style.)
• Ses idées peuvent sembler excentriques, mais elles sont souvent brillantes. (His ideas might seem eccentric, but they are often brilliant.)
• J'adore sa personnalité excentrique et pleine de vie. (I love her eccentric and lively personality.)

The 'uncommon' or 'atypical' – insolite

The French word insolite directly translates to 'uncommon', 'unusual', or 'atypical' in English. It's used to describe something that deviates from the ordinary or expected.

As an adjective, insolite can describe a variety of nouns, from objects and places to experiences and situations. It remains invariable in gender and number, meaning it doesn't change form whether it's describing a masculine or feminine, singular or plural noun.

Beyond just 'unusual', insolite often carries a connotation of surprise, originality, or even a touch of eccentricity. It suggests something that catches your attention because it's out of the ordinary, sometimes in a charming or intriguing way.

💡 * J'ai visité un musée insolite à Paris. (I visited an unusual museum in Paris.)

• Son idée était vraiment insolite, mais brillante. (His idea was truly atypical, but brilliant.)
• Nous avons passé une soirée insolite avec des amis. (We spent an uncommon/unusual evening with friends.)
• Ce phénomène météorologique est assez insolite pour la saison. (This weather phenomenon is quite unusual for the season.)

The 'freaky' or 'creepy' – flippant/flippante

While 'flippant' in English means disrespectful or lighthearted, the French adjective flippant (masculine) or flippante (feminine) takes on a very different, more intense meaning: 'freaky,' 'creepy,' 'scary,' or even 'disturbing.'

This term is commonly used in informal contexts to describe something or someone that causes a feeling of unease, fear, or profound strangeness. It's often associated with things that are unsettling, bizarre, or even a bit disturbing.

As an adjective, flippant must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Remember to use flippant for masculine nouns and flippante for feminine nouns.

💡 * Ce clown est vraiment flippant. (This clown is really creepy.)

• L'ambiance de cette maison est flippante. (The atmosphere of this house is freaky.)
• Il a raconté une histoire tellement flippante que personne n'a dormi. (He told such a creepy story that no one slept.)
• J'ai vu un truc super flippant hier soir. (I saw something really freaky last night.)

The 'peculiar' or 'unconventional' – particulier/particulière

The French adjective particulier (masculine) and particulière (feminine) is a versatile word that can translate to 'peculiar,' 'unconventional,' 'specific,' or 'particular' depending on the context. Its meaning often shifts slightly based on what it's describing.

Like many French adjectives, particulier must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. You'll use particulier for masculine singular nouns (e.g., un goût particulier) and particulière for feminine singular nouns (e.g., une situation particulière). For plural forms, it becomes particuliers (masculine plural) and particulières (feminine plural).

One common usage of particulier/particulière is to describe something as 'peculiar,' 'odd,' 'strange,' or 'unconventional.' This often implies a sense of uniqueness or something that stands out from the norm, sometimes with a slightly negative or questioning connotation. For example, un comportement particulier means 'a peculiar behavior'.

Another key meaning is 'specific' or 'particular,' indicating something distinct or individual within a larger group. This is often used in a neutral or positive sense. For instance, une raison particulière means 'a specific reason.' This meaning also appears in the common phrase en particulier, which means 'in particular' or 'especially'.

💡 * Il a un sens de l'humour très particulier. (He has a very peculiar sense of humor.)

• C'est une situation assez particulière. (It's a rather peculiar/unconventional situation.)
• Je cherche un cadeau particulier pour ma mère. (I'm looking for a specific gift for my mother.)
• Elle a une façon particulière de voir les choses. (She has a particular way of seeing things.)
• J'aime tous les fruits, les cerises en particulier. (I like all fruits, cherries in particular.)

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to say “weird” in French. But French, like any language, is rich with nuances, from old-fashioned terms to regional expressions and modern slang that even this author might not be aware of!

To explore further, you can do an online search for “comment dire bizarre en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might find some interesting synonyms for bizarre on these lists. Of course, always check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you incorporate it into your vocabulary.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover various fascinating ways to describe something as 'weird' or 'unusual'.

And if you’re looking for more ways to talk about different shades of 'weirdness' or related concepts in French, the WordReference entry for bizarre is an excellent place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful in expanding your French vocabulary. Remember, language is full of color and nuance, allowing us to express even the most bizarre ideas in countless ways. As the French proverb says, « Les goûts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas. » (There’s no accounting for taste / Tastes and colors are not to be discussed).