fou
/fu/masculine
The French word for madman is fou. Wiktionary also lists insensé.
Meaning: an insane man (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fou | /fu/ | masculine |
| insensé | /ɛ̃.sɑ̃.se/ | masculine |
The term fou is used to describe an insane man. In common colloquial speech, it is frequently used to describe someone acting silly or irrational rather than strictly referring to a person with a clinical mental illness.
Which one should you use?
While fou is the most common term, insensé serves as a more formal or literary way to express the idea of being insane or senseless.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word fou changes based on gender and number. To refer to a madwoman, use the feminine form folle. For a group of madmen, use the masculine plural fous and for a group of madwomen, use the feminine plural folles.
How do you pronounce it?
/fu/
Did you know?
- In the context of chess, the word fou refers to a 'bishop', which originated from the Arabic word for 'elephant'.
- While fou refers to madness, the expression fou rire describes a fit of uncontrollable laughter rather than a mental state.
- French uses the word folie for both 'insanity' and 'folly', often applying it to architectural styles or extravagant obsessions.
Examples in context
- Il fulminait comme un fou.He was ranting and raving like a madman.This sentence uses fou to describe someone ranting and raving.Tatoeba #11579939 by lbdx, translation #10569551 by sundown
- Il s'est comporté comme un fou.He behaved like a madman.This sentence uses fou to describe someone's behavior.Tatoeba #2436060 by Rovo, translation #898962 by shiba80
- Un fou n'est pas redevable de ses actions.A madman is not accountable for his actions.This sentence uses fou to discuss accountability regarding a person's actions.Tatoeba #128700 by Aiji, translation #270272 by CM
- Mon oncle est malheureusement un aliéné depuis de nombreuses années.Unfortunately, my uncle has been mentally ill for many years.
- Ce type est complètement fou . Il dit toujours des choses bizarres.That guy is completely crazy. He always says weird things.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Manon are walking through a quiet street at night.
- GabrielRegarde, il y a un fou là-bas.Look, there is a madman over there.
- ManonIl est vraiment effrayant, Gabriel.He is truly scary, Gabriel.
- GabrielNe le regarde pas, Manon.Don't look at him, Manon.
- ManonD'accord, marchons plus vite.Okay, let's walk faster.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “madman” translations and entries fou, insensé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fou, insensé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
