curieux
/ky.ʁjø/masculine
The English word 'nosy' can be translated into French using curieux or fouineur.
Meaning: prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs, tending to snoop or meddle (adj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| curieux | /ky.ʁjø/ | masculine |
| fouineur | /fwi.nœʁ/ | masculine |
These terms describe someone who is prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs. Tending to snoop or meddle. To describe the action of being nosy, French speakers often use the phrase se mêler de ce qui ne nous regarde pas. The noun form of the adjective curieux is curiosité.
Which one should you use?
While curieux can mean simply 'curious', fouineur specifically implies a person who snoops or meddles in a prying way.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of the adjective curieux is curieuse. The feminine form of the noun/adjective fouineur is fouineuse.
How do you pronounce it?
{'ipa': '/ky.ʁjø/', 'syllables': 2}
Did you know?
- In French, if someone is being too nosy, you might tell them mêlez-vous de vos oignons, which literally translates to 'mind your own onions'.
- The word fouineur comes from the French word for a weasel, fouine, because of the animal's habit of sniffing and digging around to find prey.
- In French, calling someone curieux is much more ambiguous than calling someone 'nosy' in English. Depending on the context, it can be a genuine compliment for someone with a thirst for knowledge or a sharp insult for a meddler.
Examples in context
- Les voisins sont trop curieux.The neighbours are too nosy.This sentence uses curieux to describe neighbors being nosy.Tatoeba #13085500 by lbdx, translation #9525805 by Taam
- Tom a quelques voisins curieux.Tom has some nosy neighbors.This sentence uses curieux to describe neighbors that Tom has.Tatoeba #5688406 by Aiji, translation #1040603 by CK
- Les chèvres sont des animaux curieux et sociables.Goats are nosy, social animals.This sentence uses curieux to describe goats as curious and social animals.Tatoeba #6989879 by Micsmithel, translation #6989038 by Hybrid
- J'en ai assez de son comportement intrusif.I'm fed up with his nosy behavior.
- Arrête d'être une fouineuse, ça ne te regarde pas !Stop being nosy, it's none of your business!
- Il est vraiment trop curieux, ça m'énerve !He's really too nosy, it annoys me!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are talking about a neighbor in the street.
- HugoEst-ce qu'il est curieux ?Is he nosy?
- EmmaOui, il est très curieux.Yes, he is very nosy.
- HugoIl pose trop de questions.He asks too many questions.
- EmmaC'est vrai, il est agaçant.It's true, he is annoying.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nosy” translations and entries curieux, fouineur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries curieux, fouineur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
