Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| blague | /blaɡ/ | feminine |
| plaisanterie | /plɛ.zɑ̃.tʁi/ /ple.zɑ̃.tʁi/ |
feminine |
| joke | /dʒok/ /dʒoʊk/ (Quebec) |
feminine |
The words refer to an amusing story. While blague is a versatile and common way to describe a joke, plaisanterie often refers to a lighthearted remark or a jest.
Which one should you use?
Blague is the most common and informal way to say joke in everyday conversation. In contrast, plaisanterie is more formal and often refers to a jest or a lighthearted remark rather than a structured funny story. Note that joke also exists as a feminine noun in French.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The related verbs blaguer and plaisanter mean to joke or do something for amusement. Blaguer is the informal counterpart to the more formal verb plaisanter. All noun forms provided are feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/blaɡ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Because blague and plaisanterie are feminine nouns, ensure you precede them with the feminine article une instead of the masculine un.
Did you know?
- The word blague actually traces its roots back to the Dutch word balg, which refers to a bellows. It originally suggested something 'puffed up' or hollow, implying that a joke is something full of air and lacking substance.
- French has a specific word for a 'practical joke', which is une farce, a word that also refers to the theatrical genre and the stuffing used in cooking.
- In French, the phrase c'est une blague is often used to express disbelief or frustration, similar to the English 'you've got to be kidding me', rather than just identifying a funny story.
Examples in context
- Est-ce une blague ?Is it a joke?This sentence is useful for asking if something is a blague.Tatoeba #2707377 by chtof, translation #1805305 by CK
- J'ai ri à sa blague.I laughed at his joke.This sentence shows how to express laughing at a blague.Tatoeba #467479 by sacredceltic, translation #465030 by CK
- Était-ce une blague ?Was it a joke?Tatoeba #6318288 by Aiji, translation #2649183 by CK
- Pendant le séminaire, le conférencier a partagé quelques plaisanteries pour détendre l'atmosphère.During the seminar, the speaker shared some jokes to lighten the mood.
- Je vais te raconter une blague vraiment drôle que j'ai entendue aujourd'hui.I'm going to tell you a really funny joke I heard today.
- 214 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas tells a joke to Léa during a break.
- LucasÉcoute cette blague, Léa.Listen to this joke, Léa.
- LéaJe t'écoute, Lucas.I'm listening, Lucas.
- LucasC'est une blague très drôle.It's a very funny joke.
- LéaElle est vraiment excellente !It is really excellent!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “joke” translations and entries blague, plaisanterie, joke, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries blague, joke, plaisanterie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
