Quel idiot
The English phrase "what an idiot" is translated into French as Quel idiot.
Quel idiot is an exclamation used to express that someone is very foolish. In informal settings, you might also hear Quel crétin ! among friends or the phrase Il est vraiment stupide, celui-là ! to express amused annoyance at someone acting foolishly.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase Quel idiot, the word quel functions as an exclamatory determiner meaning "what" or "what a", rather than the interrogative "which".
Which one should you use?
Use Quel idiot when referring to a male. If you are referring to a female, you should use Quelle idiote instead.
Did you know?
- The word idiot has a surprisingly civil origin, descending from the Ancient Greek word for a 'private citizen' or 'layman' who did not participate in public life.
- In French, idiot can be used as a gentle term for children meaning 'silly', whereas the English word 'idiot' is almost always a harsh insult.
- French has many specialized words for 'fool' that describe different types of stupidity, such as béotien for someone lacking culture or nigaud for someone who is simple-minded.
Examples in context
- Quel idiot tu es !What an idiot you are!This sentence shows how to use Quel idiot to call someone a fool.Tatoeba #1243776 by sacredceltic, translation #4567831 by AlanF_US
- Quel idiot j'étais de lui prêter de l'argent.What an idiot I was to lend her money.This sentence shows how to use Quel idiot to express regret over one's own foolishness.Tatoeba #453310 by sacredceltic, translation #453602 by FeuDRenais
- Je n'arrive pas à croire quel idiot j'ai été.I can't believe what an idiot I've been.This sentence shows how to use Quel idiot when reflecting on one's own past foolish behavior.Tatoeba #2302583 by sacredceltic, translation #2301934 by CK
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are watching a ridiculous scene in a movie.
- LéaQuel idiot, ce personnage !What an idiot, this character!
- NathanC'est vrai, il est vraiment stupide.It's true, he is really stupid.
- LéaIl ne comprend rien du tout.He doesn't understand anything at all.
- NathanJe suis d'accord avec toi, Léa.I agree with you, Léa.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries idiot, quel, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
