Years ago, I bought myself a pair of chunky, bright pink sneakers. Very trendy at the time, if you ask me. When I showed them to my mom, she looked at them and said: “C’est marrant.” That’s funny.
Now, I know ma maman. C’est marrant is one of her favorite expressions when she doesn’t like something but doesn’t want to say it outright. And trust me, she did NOT like those shoes 😂. The funny thing is, she hadn’t actually said anything negative. She hadn’t lied either. She’d simply found a way to express her opinion without really expressing it.
French people have a réputation for being blunt, and we certainly can be. But we’re also pretty good at telling you we don’t like something without ever using a negative word.
So, how do you know when a French person is genuinely complimenting you or politely telling you they hate your new haircut? Let’s decode some of these expressions, what they can really mean, and how to catch them in conversation.
A polite code or real criticism?
The French tend to be blunt and direct. We won’t think twice before getting confrontational in certain situations, like a heated debate during an apéro. When that happens, nothing needs decoding: real criticism comes straight to your face, and I’ll show you how to spot it below.
The thing about the faux compliment is that it doesn’t necessarily involve lying.
Instead of saying something is beautiful, delicious, or brilliant, we might simply describe it: C’est original. C’est spécial. C’est intéressant. Technically, nobody has lied. But nobody has said they liked it, either.
What I like about it is that it solves three problems at once:
- Nobody lied, so honesty is intact.
- Nobody was rude, so the other person got to save face.
- The moment stays pleasant, but the message can still get across.
Of course, these expressions can also be genuine compliments. It all depends on the tone, the context, and who’s saying them.
You can speak it too
The good news is that this is a skill that can be taught. Using these phrases will make you sound much more natural, because you’ll be doing what French speakers actually do instead of carrying your own habits over word for word. It also gives you a graceful way out the next time a friend shows you something you honestly can’t praise.
One thing to note before the phrases. In French, the information is rarely in the words alone. It sits in the tone, timing and context. So for each category below, I’ll give you the expressions and also what to listen for.
For an object, a decoration or an outfit
C’est original ! is the MVP in every category. Right behind it we have: c’est particulier, it’s unusual/different, and c’est spécial, it’s special. Then c’est pas commun, it’s not common, and if something is really out there: il fallait oser, one had to dare, and t’as osé, you dared.
Example: your friend shows you an outfit and you think it’s really too much. C’est particulier ! does the job, and nobody has to lie.
TWO TO WATCH CLOSELY:
- Ça te ressemble, it looks like you, can be cute or deadly depending on how you say it. Said warmly, with eye contact and a smile, it’s affection. Said flat, after a glance at the outfit, means “Why on Earth would you ever wear something like this?”.
- Ah ouais, which roughly translates as “Oh, wow…” or “Oh, really?” depending on tone, means you should probably change immediately, same with ah oui, quand même.
For food
C’est intéressant is the most brutal of all, because nobody says it about a dish they love. After that: ça a du goût, it has flavor, though which flavor remains a mystery… Then c’est copieux, it’s a hefty portion, c’est nourrissant, it’s nourishing, and on sent le fait maison, you can tell it’s homemade (this can also be positive or negative). C’est surprenant, it’s surprising, is another versatile and deadly one.
And then the trap question: c’est toi qui l’as fait ? Did you make it yourself? Real enthusiasm usually comes with a detail about what they liked or a hand reaching for seconds. The code gives you a category and moves on to another subject.
For a person
This one is quite similar to English: Elle est gentille, she’s nice/sweet, often means nobody found anything else to say. Il a un humour particulier, he has a particular sense of humor, means he isn’t funny. Elle a du caractère and elle est franche, she has character and she’s frank, both mean she’s difficult. And il est cash, il dit ce qu’il pense, il est entier, he’s blunt, he says what he thinks, he’s all or nothing, translates roughly as: he’s unpleasant, has no filter, and 9 times out of 10 will say something insulting. It can also imply someone is just plain uncompromising or intense.
Tu as bonne mine, you look well (une mine refers to your skin complexion or the look of your face), depends entirely on tone. Sometimes it’s true, it’s a compliment about how healthy or glowy you look. Sometimes it means that you looked like shit last time you saw this person.
Listen for how much comes after the adjective. When the French really like someone, you get a story or a detail. The code gives you one word and a short silence.
For a project or a piece of work
C’est intéressant shows up again here. Then c’est un beau projet, it’s a beautiful project/idea. Whether it’s a viable business is another question. C’est courageux, it’s courageous, can mean: I wouldn’t necessarily take that risk myself or even: you have no shot in hell this will work. Then the gentler: c’est déjà pas mal, it’s already not bad, c’est un bon début, it’s a good start, il y a de l’idée, there’s an idea in there, and on voit que t’as bossé, we can tell you worked on it. Notice that the last one praises the effort, not the result. 🙃
And pourquoi pas, why not. Said with a shrug and a rising tone, it’s usually a polite no or an “I’m not really into it, but you are, so go ahead”.
For an idea or a suggestion
You suggest an idea during a brainstorm and hear c’est marrant, it’s funny, or c’est une idée, it’s an idea. Both are true statements, and neither says it’s a good one.
C’est marrant treats your suggestion as a curiosity. C’est une idée confirms that an idea exists. Neither expression necessarily tells you whether they actually like the idea. Also, if the French wanted to say yes, we’d just say oui.
The reverse trap: when a negative is actually a compliment
This is what makes the system so hard for English speakers: A real French compliment often goes through negation. C’est pas mal, it’s not bad, c’est pas dégueu, it’s not gross aka it’s actually good, j’ai bien aimé, I liked it, and je déteste pas, I don’t hate it (genuine but restrained approval), are all sincere praise.
The rule of thumb: a positive adjective said in a flat tone is suspect, and a negative phrasing said with conviction is a compliment. Conviction is audible. It comes with énergie, speed, and often an addition, like c’est pas mal du tout, it’s not bad at all.
The exception to the rule: C’est pas terrible means not great. I know, it might be slightly frustrating, but what is the French language without its exceptions?
How to know what they really mean
In French, sometimes le silence before a word tells you more than the word itself. Take c’est… courageux, that’s… brave. That little hesitation can suggest the person is searching for something nice to say.
Another one to watch out for is écoute… c’est une idée, listen…that’s an idea. Starting with écoute doesn’t automatically mean something negative is coming, but combined with a pause and a hesitant tone, it might be a sign that the person isn’t entirely convinced.
Compare two people saying c’est original, it’s original.
- One says it immediately, smiling, genuinely impressed, with a clear exclamation point finishing the sentence.
- The other pauses, looks at the object for a moment, and carefully chooses the same adjective. Same words, but potentially very different meanings!
And what about real criticism?
French people can also be perfectly comfortable telling you exactly what they think, especially during a debate, among close friends or family, or when you’ve specifically asked for feedback. Unlike a fake compliment, direct criticism doesn’t leave you guessing quite as much.
It can be specific: c’est trop sucré, it’s too sweet, or ça [ne] marche pas, it doesn’t work, sometimes followed by an explanation or a suggestion for improvement.
It can also be much more blunt: c’est nul, it sucks, n’importe quoi, that’s nonsense, c’est pas mon truc, it’s not my thing, je [ne] suis pas d’accord, I disagree, or t’es sérieux ?, are you serious?
No decoding necessary there. But context matters. Criticizing someone’s idea during a lively debate isn’t quite the same as criticizing the meal they’ve just spent three hours preparing for you. In one situation, disagreement might be welcome. On the other hand, a carefully chosen c’est intéressant might feel more appropriate.
So how do you tell the difference?Pay attention to the pause, the tone, and what comes after the adjective. Does the person explain what they like or dislike? Do they offer specific feedback? Or do they give you one carefully chosen word before quickly changing the subject? And remember, none of these clues is foolproof. Sometimes c’est original really does mean they love it. Other times, well… just ask my mom about my pink sneakers. 😉 |
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Want to understand French beyond the words?
There’s so much to learn about French through everyday conversations, from pronunciation and intonation to those little cultural codes that can completely change the meaning of a sentence.
At Hello French, we explore all of this in my Group Classes and Private Lessons, where you’ll get to practice your French with real people and plenty of feedback.
Prefer learning at your own pace? Explore my French ebooks, including Hello Pronunciation, to work on your French sounds and pronunciation.
À bientôt !
Cécilia & The Hello French Team
