ironique
/i.ʁɔ.nik/
The English adjective ironic is translated into French as ironique.
ironique is used to describe something characterized by irony.
Meaning: characterized by irony (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective ironique is invariable in gender, meaning it remains the same whether it is describing a masculine or a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/i.ʁɔ.nik/
When do people say it?
If you want to informally emphasize the absurdity of a situation, you might use the expression C'est le comble, which literally means 'that's the height'.
Did you know?
- The word ironique comes from the Ancient Greek word eirōnikós, which originally described a specific type of character in plays who pretended to be ignorant to fool others.
- While ironique describes the quality of the irony, French speakers often use the noun ironie as a tool for 'l'esprit', a specific type of intellectual wit highly prized in French culture.
- The French language distinguishes between ironie and antiphrase. An antiphrase is the specific linguistic device of saying the opposite of what one means to be ironique.
Examples in context
- C'est tellement ironique !That's so ironic.This sentence shows how to express that something is very ironic.Tatoeba #3544995 by sacredceltic, translation #3539318 by Hybrid
- Ce serait ironique, n'est-ce pas ?That would be ironic, wouldn't it?This is an example of using the word in a rhetorical question.Tatoeba #5389495 by Aiji, translation #2877880 by CK
- Sais-tu même la signification d'« ironique » ?Do you even know what ironic means?This sentence uses the word when questioning someone's understanding of its meaning.Tatoeba #3544991 by sacredceltic, translation #3539320 by Hybrid
- Cette situation est ironiqueThis situation is ironic
- Perdre mes clés alors que je suis devant ma porte, c'est le comble !Losing my keys when I'm standing at my own door, that's the height of it!
- Tu as un diplôme d'honneur en français ? Eh bien, ton orthographe est très originale !You have an honor diploma in French? Well, your spelling is quite unique!
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are discussing a series of unfortunate events.
- NathanIl trouve cette situation très ironique.He finds this situation very ironic.
- ChloéOui, son commentaire était vraiment ironique.Yes, his comment was truly ironic.
- NathanTu es d'accord avec moi, Chloé ?Do you agree with me, Chloé?
- ChloéAbsolument, c'est un destin ironique.Absolutely, it is an ironic fate.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ironic” translations and entries ironique, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ironique, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
