kitsch
/kitʃ/
The French word for tacky is kitsch.
kitsch is used to describe something that is excessively tacky or overly decorative. You may also use the informal term Ringard(e) to describe something as tacky.
Meaning: colloquial: in bad taste (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
/kitʃ/
Did you know?
- If you want to describe something as 'tacky' because it is gaudy or loud, you might use the word criard, which literally translates to 'screaming'.
- The term kitsch was adopted into French directly from German, appearing in French art criticism in the late 19th century to describe mass-produced aesthetics.
- While kitsch describes an object, you might use ringard to describe a person who is 'tacky' because they are stuck in an old-fashioned or uncool way.
Examples in context
- C'est vulgaire!That's tacky!
- Je trouve ça un peu vulgaireI find it a bit tacky
- Je trouve ça ringardI find it tacky
- C'est un peu kitsch, non ?It's a bit tacky, isn't it?
- J'aime ce style, même s'il est kitsch.I like this style, even if it is tacky.
- Cette décoration est trop kitsch pour moi.This decoration is too tacky for me.
Example conversation
Lucas and Chloé are looking at a new piece of art in a shop.
- LucasRegarde cette statue dorée, elle est très kitsch.Look at this golden statue, it is very tacky.
- ChloéC'est vrai, elle manque de goût.True, it lacks taste.
- LucasTu ne la trouves pas amusante, Chloé ?Don't you find it funny, Chloé?
- ChloéPas du tout, je la trouve affreuse.Not at all, I find it awful.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry kitsch, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kitsch, CC BY-SA 4.0.
