comédien
/kɔ.me.djɛ̃/
The French word for comedian is comédien.
comédien refers to an entertainer. Unlike the English word 'comedian', which often implies someone who specifically performs comedy, the French comédien is used for both comedic and dramatic actors.
Meaning: entertainer (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is comédien. To refer to a female comedian, use the feminine form comédienne. For a group of male or mixed-gender comedians, use the masculine plural comédiens.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and is pronounced /kɔ.me.djɛ̃/.
Did you know?
- In French, calling someone a comédien when they are not a professional actor can be an insult, implying they are fake or manipulative.
- The phrase faire une comédie does not mean performing a play, but rather overreacting or throwing a tantrum to attract attention.
- If you want to specify that someone is a stand-up comedian, you should use the phrase humoriste instead of comédien. Comédien is too broad and might lead people to think you are talking about a dramatic actor.
Examples in context
- Il aurait dû être comédien.He should have been a comedian.This sentence uses comédien to discuss a hypothetical career.Tatoeba #4637726 by Rovo, translation #8192088 by lucasmg123
- Ce comédien est très drôle.That comedian is very funny.This sentence uses comédien to describe someone as funny.Tatoeba #7698199 by Maxence, translation #68471 by CK
- Il est comédien.He's a comedian.This sentence uses comédien to state someone's profession.Tatoeba #808126 by sacredceltic, translation #327941 by CK
- Comédien et humoriste français, Gad Elmaleh est connu internationalement.French comedian and humorist, Gad Elmaleh is internationally known.
- Elle est une comédienne talentueuse et très drôle.She is a talented and very funny comedian.
- Fabrice Luchini est un humoriste français très apprécié pour ses talents d'acteur comique.Fabrice Luchini is a highly appreciated comedian in France for his comedic acting skills.
- Cette humoriste fait rire toute la salle avec ses sketchs hilarants.This comedian makes the entire audience laugh with her hilarious sketches.
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are discussing a theater show.
- LéaTu as vu le spectacle de ce comédien ?Did you see this comedian's show?
- HugoOui, il est vraiment talentueux.Yes, he is truly talented.
- LéaIl est très drôle, n'est-ce pas ?He is very funny, isn't he?
- HugoAbsolument, j'ai adoré sa performance.Absolutely, I loved his performance.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry comédien, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
