Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| excellent | /ɛk.sɛ.lɑ̃/ /ɛk.se.lɑ̃/ |
| super | /sy.pɛʁ/ |
| formidable | /fɔʁ.mi.dabl/ |
The terms provided are used to describe things that are very good. excellent is used to emphasize the superiority or exceptionally high quality of something. super conveys a positive and good impression. formidable is used to mean wonderful or great. For more intense qualities, magnifique expresses something truly splendid or magnificent, while superbe signifies utmost beauty, elegance or excellence. If you want to express enthusiasm or excitement, such as saying something is absolutely fantastic, you can use the colloquial génial.
Which one should you use?
While formidable is a direct cognate to the English word 'formidable', be aware that in French it usually means wonderful or great, whereas in English 'formidable' often implies something intimidating or difficult. For a slang option meaning top-notch, you can use top.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
super is a very common, informal way to say 'great' or 'very good' in spoken French. Similarly, génial is used colloquially to express excitement. chouette is also an informal way to express 'great'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Belgian French, the informal term chouette is used to express 'great'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective excellent must agree in gender with the noun it modifies. It becomes excellente when modifying a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
excellent is pronounced /ɛk.sɛ.lɑ̃/ and has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Il a été super.He was great.This sentence shows how to use super to describe a person's behavior in the past.Tatoeba #2194355 by sacredceltic, translation #2193822 by Hybrid
- Tu as été super.You were great.Tatoeba #2194359 by sacredceltic, translation #2193821 by Hybrid
- T'as été super !You've been great.This sentence shows a more casual way to use super in the past.Tatoeba #3655791 by sacredceltic, translation #2255404 by CK
- Le spectacle était magnifique!The show was magnificent!
- Elle a fait un travail superbe.She did a superb job.
- C'était un excellent repas.It was an excellent meal.
- Le film était génial!The movie was awesome!
- J'ai passé une soirée super hier!I had a great evening yesterday!
- Ta tenue est vraiment top!Your outfit is really great!
- La fête était vraiment chouette!The party was really great!
- 180 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are discussing a movie they just watched.
- GabrielC'était un film excellent.It was an excellent movie.
- LéaOui, je suis d'accord avec toi.Yes, I agree with you.
- GabrielL'histoire était vraiment passionnante.The story was truly exciting.
- LéaC'est vrai, c'était excellent.That's true, it was excellent.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “great” translations and entries excellent, super, formidable, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries excellent, formidable, super, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
