Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fan | /fan/ | feminine, masculine |
| admirateur | /ad.mi.ʁa.tœʁ/ | masculine |
| admiratrice | /ad.mi.ʁa.tʁis/ | feminine |
| supporteuse | feminine | |
| supporteure | feminine | |
| supportrice | feminine | |
| supportaire | feminine, masculine | |
| mordu | /mɔʁ.dy/ | masculine |
In French, several words can describe an admirer of a person, a team or a concept. While fan is a way to express this, other terms like mordu can emphasize a deep passion and colloquial expressions like accro suggest someone is hooked or addicted to something.
Which one should you use?
The word fan is a modern loanword, whereas admirateur (masculine) and admiratrice (feminine) are more traditional and formal terms meaning "admirer". For sports or specific support roles, you might see terms like supportrice, supporteuse, supporteure or supportaire. The term mordu is used colloquially to describe a "die-hard" or highly enthusiastic fan.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Fan is used in informal or colloquial contexts. For a more formal tone, use admirateur or admiratrice or the phrase un amateur/une amatrice de. In casual spoken French, you can use un mordu/une mordue de to express being a passionate fan or the colloquial un accro/une accro de to say someone is hooked on something.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word fan is invariable in gender, so the spelling does not change whether the subject is masculine or feminine. Only the article changes (un fan or une fan).
How do you pronounce it?
/fan/
Did you know?
- If you call someone a mordu of a hobby, you are literally calling them a 'bitten' person, implying they have been bitten by their passion.
- Using supporteur can be confusing because it is a 'false friend'. While in English a 'supporter' is a fan, in French the word can also refer to a physical bracket or a structural prop.
- While fan is common, using un amateur can be tricky. In French, it describes someone who loves a subject, but it can also mean a 'beginner' or an 'unskilled person'.
Examples in context
- Je suis fan du pacifisme.I am a fan of pacifism.This sentence shows how to express being a fan of an idea or concept using fan.Tatoeba #12135375 by Rovo, translation #5608594 by mailohilohi
- Tom est un fan des Red Sox.Tom is a Red Sox fan.This sentence shows how to identify someone as a fan of a specific sports team using fan.Tatoeba #3324903 by JulieMDM, translation #3324589 by Hybrid
- Je suis ton plus grand fan.I'm your biggest fan.This sentence shows how to tell someone they are your biggest fan using fan.Tatoeba #5347959 by Aiji, translation #3315186 by CK
- Je suis un amateur de musique classique.I am a fan of classical music.
- Nous sommes des supporters fervents de l'équipe locale.We are passionate supporters of the local team.
- Je suis un grand fan de cinéma.I am a big fan of movies.
- Elle est une fan inconditionnelle de cette série télévisée.She is a devoted fan of this TV series.
- Elle est une accro des séries télévisées.She is hooked on TV series.
- 36 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Chloé are talking about a singer.
- HugoTu connais cette chanteuse ? Je suis fan d'elle.Do you know this singer? I am a fan of her.
- ChloéOui, moi aussi je suis une grande fan !Yes, I am a big fan too!
- HugoOn devrait aller voir son concert ensemble.We should go see her concert together.
- ChloéC'est une super idée, Hugo !That is a great idea, Hugo!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “fan” translations and entries fan, admirateur, admiratrice, supporteuse, supportrice, mordu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
