blagues
The English phrase "jokes" is translated into French as blagues.
The word refers to short stories or phrases told to make people laugh.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term blague is informal and more colloquial than the more formal term plaisanterie.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form is blague and the plural form is blagues. As a feminine noun, you use the article une for a single joke.
Did you know?
- In French, if someone says C'est une blague !, they are often not telling a joke but expressing disbelief, similar to saying 'You must be kidding!' in English.
- The word blague shares a root with the old French word for a 'trick' or 'deception', linking the concept of joking to the act of fooling someone.
- The slang expression c'est du pipeau is often used when a blague is actually a lie or a fabrication, rather than a joke meant for laughter.
Examples in context
- Il apprécie mes blagues.He likes my jokes.This sentence shows how to express that someone appreciates your blagues.Tatoeba #1924430 by sacredceltic, translation #1923331 by Spamster
- Pas de blagues salaces !No dirty jokes!This sentence is useful for telling someone not to tell dirty blagues.Tatoeba #3647301 by sacredceltic, translation #328118 by papabear
- Vos blagues me manquent.I miss your jokes.This sentence illustrates how to say you miss someone's blagues.Tatoeba #10713066 by lbdx, translation #3823257 by CK
- Pourquoi le poulet a traversé la route ? Pour aller de l'autre côté !Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side!
- Comment appelle-t-on un ours sans dents ? Un ours en gélatine !What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear!
- Pourquoi les scientifiques ne font-ils pas confiance aux atomes ? Parce qu'ils composent tout !Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything!
- Pourquoi la tomate est-elle devenue rouge ? Parce qu'elle a vu la vinaigrette de salade !Why did the tomato turn red? Because it saw the salad dressing!
- 80 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are chatting during a coffee break.
- NathanTu as de nouvelles blagues ?Do you have any new jokes?
- EmmaOui, j'en ai une très bonne.Yes, I have a very good one.
- NathanVas-y, je t'écoute !Go ahead, I'm listening!
- EmmaAttends, je vais la raconter.Wait, I'm going to tell it.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
