louche
/luʃ/
The English word "sketchy" can be translated to French as louche.
Louche is used to describe something that is shady, dubious or suspicious. Note that while it captures the sense of being "sketchy" in a suspicious or moral way, it is not typically used to describe something that is merely low-quality or poorly drawn in an artistic sense.
Meaning: of questionable or doubtful quality (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, louche is invariable in gender, meaning it stays the same whether you are describing a masculine or a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/luʃ/
Did you know?
- The word louche is rooted in the Latin word for 'one-eyed'. It originally described someone with limited vision, before shifting to mean someone who is 'shady' or 'sketchy'.
- In certain French dialects like Norman-Picard, the word louche has a completely different meaning. Instead of describing something suspicious, it refers to a tool used for scraping or shoveling.
- While louche describes a sketchy person, the verb loucher specifically means 'to squint' or 'to be cross-eyed'.
Examples in context
- Ça a l'air louche.That looks sketchy.This sentence is useful for seeing how to say that something looks sketchy using louche.Tatoeba #1112056 by sacredceltic, translation #12738649 by rul
- La situation semble suspecte.The situation seems sketchy.
- Cette affaire paraît douteuse.This matter seems sketchy.
- Ce témoin est peu fiable.This witness is sketchy.
- Il y a des choses louches qui se passent ici.There are sketchy things going on here.
- Ce plan n'est pas net.This plan is sketchy.
- Cette histoire n'est vraiment pas catholique.This story is really sketchy.
- Ce type me semble vraiment louche.That guy seems really sketchy to me.
- Il travaille dans un quartier un peu louche.He works in a bit of a sketchy neighborhood.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are walking down a street at night.
- ChloéCet endroit est un peu louche, non ?This place is a bit sketchy, isn't it?
- GabrielOui, on devrait peut-être changer de chemin.Yes, maybe we should change paths.
- ChloéTu as raison, je ne me sens pas en sécurité.You're right, I don't feel safe.
- GabrielNe t'inquiète pas, on arrive bientôt à l'hôtel.Don't worry, we'll arrive at the hotel soon.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry louche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries louche, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
