Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| naze | /naz/ | France, feminine, masculine, slang |
| nul | /nyl/ | |
| poche | /pɔʃ/ | Quebec, informal |
In slang, these terms are used to describe something that is failing to be cool, funny, interesting or relevant. While nul is a common informal way to say something is lame, other colloquial options include pourri for something of poor quality or bidon for something that is phony, fake or not exciting. If you want to be more formal, you can use médiocre to express that something is disappointing, sans intérêt to say it is boring or unremarkable or peu inspirant to convey that something is unoriginal or lacks inspiration.
Which one should you use?
While nul specifically refers to the quality of something being bad or lame, naze can also mean being exhausted or worn out in colloquial French. Additionally, the term ringard is used specifically in France to describe something as being old-fashioned or out of touch.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The terms nul, naze, bidon and pourri are informal or colloquial. In contrast, médiocre, sans intérêt and peu inspirant are formal ways to express similar feelings of disappointment or lack of interest.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the informal term poche is commonly used to express that something is lame or bad. In France, ringard is used to describe things that are out of touch.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form nul changes depending on the subject it describes: it becomes nulle for a feminine singular subject, nuls for a masculine or mixed plural subject and nulles for a feminine plural subject. The form naze is used for both masculine and feminine subjects.
How do you pronounce it?
/naz/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use the English word lame to mean "bad" in French. In French, lame actually means a blade, such as a razor or a knife.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Elle est trop nulle.She is so lame.This sentence shows how to use nul to describe a female subject.Tatoeba #8952574 by Julien_PDC, translation #11669677 by tieguy
- Vous êtes nuls, les gars.You guys are lame.This sentence uses nul to address a group.Tatoeba #12535176 by Rovo, translation #10157300 by espamatics
- Cette fête est nulle. Allons-nous-en.This party is lame. Let's go.This sentence uses nul to describe a party.Tatoeba #10651859 by lbdx, translation #7043222 by Hybrid
- C'était un film médiocreIt was a mediocre movie
- Ce livre est sans intérêtThis book is boring
- La présentation était peu inspiranteThe presentation was uninspiring
- Ce film est vraiment nulThis movie is really lame
- Cette chanson est vraiment pourrieThis song is really lame
- La soirée était complètement bidonThe party was totally lame
- Ce style vestimentaire est vraiment ringardThis fashion style is really lame
- La soirée était plate à mourirThe party was incredibly lame
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are discussing a movie they just watched.
- LéaC'était vraiment naze, ce film.That movie was really lame.
- NathanOui, l'histoire est trop naze.Yes, the story is too lame.
- LéaOn aurait dû aller au cinéma de quartier.We should have gone to the local cinema.
- NathanTu as raison, c'est dommage.You're right, that's a shame.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lame” translations and entries naze, nul, poche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries naze, nul, poche, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
