Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| intello | /ɛ̃.tɛ.lo/ /ɛ̃.te.lo/ |
|
| nerd | masculine |
The term refers to an intellectual or skillful person who is generally introverted. You might use Rat de bibliothèque (library rat) for someone who spends most of their time buried in books or studying, or Mordu d'informatique to describe a computer enthusiast or geek.
Which one should you use?
intello is a native French clipping of the word intellectuel, whereas nerd is an English loanword used specifically to evoke the Americanized concept of a geek or social outcast.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
intello is an informal term.
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal term intello follows standard French noun-to-plural rules by adding an s to become intellos.
How do you pronounce it?
intello is pronounced /ɛ̃.tɛ.lo/ and has 3 syllables.
When do people say it?
In a playful or teasing context, you can use the phrase Espèce de… before the word nerd to create a mild insult, such as Espèce de nerd ! (You nerd!).
Did you know?
- The French phrase mordu d'informatique uses the word for 'bitten' to describe an enthusiast, a common metaphor for being 'hooked' on a subject.
- While intello is often a tease, it is frequently used as a badge of pride among French students to signal academic rigor and intellectual seriousness.
- The suffix -o in intello is a common feature in French slang used to create informal shortenings, similar to how it is used in some Italian or Spanish dialects.
Examples in context
- Espèce de nerd !You nerd!This sentence shows how to use nerd in a playful insult.Tatoeba #9987348 by Micsmithel, translation #9767287 by shekitten
- Sami est un intello.Sami is a nerd.This sentence uses intello to describe someone's character.Tatoeba #7280648 by tras, translation #7279968 by OsoHombre
- Tom est un vrai nerd.Tom is a real nerd.This sentence uses nerd to emphasize that someone is a true nerd.Tatoeba #7723960 by Katastrauff, translation #3633847 by Hybrid
- Oui, je le connais! C'est un mordu d'informatique aussi, il adore les ordinateurs!Yes, I know him! He's also a computer enthusiast, he loves computers!
- Les geeks sont une part essentielle de l'industrie technologique.Geeks are an essential part of the technology industry.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are talking about a classmate who loves physics.
- ChloéLéo est vraiment un intello, non ?Léo is really a nerd, isn't he?
- GabrielOui, mais il est super sympa.Yes, but he is super nice.
- ChloéIl m'a aidée pour mes devoirs.He helped me with my homework.
- GabrielC'est l'avantage d'avoir un intello comme ami.That's the advantage of having a nerd for a friend.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nerd” translations and entries intello, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
