- How to say something is boring,
- How to say something is making you sleepy because it’s boring,
- And 5 other ways to describe your boredom in French!
How to say boring in French #1 - Ennuyeux
First things first. The literal translation of boring in French is ‘Ennuyeux’.
L’ennuie : boredom
Ennuyeux : boring
It’s the simplest, way to say something or someone is boring.
C’est ennuyeux. : It is boring.
Il est ennuyeux : He is boring.
It’s neither casual, nor formal. And apart from the fact that calling someone boring is not very nice, it’s not really insulting. Not like this second one…
How to say boring in French #2 - Chiant
Chiant is not a beautiful word. Since it literally means that something or someone is so boring they make you… shit.
We like to use poo as a metaphor for pretty much anything negative.
C’est chiant : It is boring.
Il est chiant : He is boring.
In English, you could translate it with ‘pain’, or even ‘pain in the ass’.
Which means it has two meanings. When someone is chiant, either he or she is boring, or annoying. Probably both.
Careful though, it’s slang. So it means you shouldn’t use this word with everyone.
Trop chiant : So boring
T’es chiant : You’re annoying.
The feminine form takes an -e. The plural an -s. And the feminine plural -es.
Tu es chiante : You are annoying.
Elle est chiante : She is annoying.
Ils sont chiants : They (masculine or a mix of masculine and feminine) are annoying.
Elles sont chiantes : They (all feminine) are annoying.
You’ll meet this word, in different forms, in other slang terms.
Notably, as a verb:
Tu fais chier / Tu me fais chier : Literally ‘You are making me shit’ : You are being a pain in the ass.
Fait chier : Literally ‘Makes me shit’ : So annoying / Such a pain in the ass
How to say boring in French #3 - Barbant
Third way to say boring in French : barbant.
I like this word. Because it’s casual, without being slang.
It’s fun, and a little bit outdated at the same time.
C’est barbant : It’s annoying.
Il est barbant : He is annoying.
The English translation would be tedious.
Someone is barbant when they aren’t being fun, when they talk for too long about topics nobody is interested in.
Imagine someone with a monotone voice, repeating the same old stories all the time. Stories you weren’t interested in in the first place.
Maybe you have a family member like that?
John est barbant avec ses anecdotes historiques. : John is boring with his historical anecdotes.
The word can be transformed for the feminine, although it’s typically not a word you’d use for a woman. So you won’t see this form very often.
Elle est barbante. : She is boring.
More often, you would quality a book, a movie, or a presentation of barbant.
Les premiers chapitres étaient barbants : The first chapters were boring.
How to say boring in French #4 - Casse-pieds
Let us enter the world of metaphors and take a look at the word ‘casse-pieds’.
Which literally means ‘feet-breaking’.
C’est casse-pieds. : It is boring.
Il est casse-pieds. : He is boring.
Again here, like with ‘chiant‘, the word has two meaning.
It can either mean boring. Something you don’t want to do because it’s so boring it’s a nuisance. Or annoying.
Most often, ,both.
Think of Garfield, the boring and annoying cat of the visual.
In english, you could translate is as nuisance, pest, or dull.
Now, it’s a word that never changes form, even if the dull one is feminine or a group.
Elle est casse-pieds.
Elles sont casse-pieds.
The –s stays on too, as when someone is annoying, they are obviously not breaking one but two feet!
It’s interesting to note that there is an expression that carries the same meaning, but works with a verb.
Tu me casses les pieds. : Literally ‘you are breaking my feet’ : You are being annoying.
How to say boring in French #5 - Rasoir
As a noun, un rasoir is a razor. But as an adjective, it means boring.
C’est rasoir. : It is boring.
Il est rasoir. : He is boring.
Like casse-pieds, because this word is a metaphor, it never changes.
No feminine, no plural.
Elle est rasoir.
Elles sont rasoir.
Someone is rasoir, when they don’t have any skill to tell stories.
Or when they just don’t know how to have fun.
Anne est rasoir, elle ne sait vraiment pas s’amuser. : Ann is boring, she really doesn’t know how to have fun.
You would probably say this person is a bore, or a drag – in English.
It also applies to non-humans like speeches, books, movies, activities,..
Je trouve les livres de Victor Hugo rasoir. : I find Victor Hugo’s books boring.
Speaking of books, check out these posts:
How to read in French
You’ve heard it – reading is one of the four pillars of language learning (alongside speaking, listening and writing).
So you’ve pick up a book. Now it’s time to read it.
Best books to learn French 📚 and my tips on how to read in French 📖
What are the best books to learn French for beginners? the best French books for intermediates? the best French books for advanced? I’m telling you how to read in French.
How to say boring in French #6 - Soporifique
Someone people are blessed with the ability to put us to sleep.
No, not mothers when they sing lullabies. But actual people, who don’t do it on purpose.
I’m sure you had one or two teachers like this.
C’est soporifique. : It is boring.
Il est soporifique. : He is boring.
Soporifique is a synonym of sedative.
It literally means that someone is so boring they make us sleep.
It takes an -s at the plural, but no additional -e for the feminine because it’s already there.
Les réunions soporifiques : Sleep-inducing meetings
It has a bit of an outdated connotation, and it’s certainly not a word you’ll hear everyday.
But it’s a perfect word to show off to your French teacher 😉
How to say boring in French #7 - Enquiquinant
The funniest way to call someone or something boring in French is to use the word enquiquinant.
Yes, with two ‘qui’.
That’s why it’s a funny word. Because it sounds funny.
C’est enquiquinant. : It is boring.
Il est enquiquinant : He is boring.
If someone says that to you, either they are a pre-school teacher and you are 2, or they don’t really mean it.
It’s more a word you use to tease than to tell straight facts.
Again here, it also can mean annoying.
It takes an -e at the feminine, and an -s at the plural.
Elle est enquiquinante. : She is boring.
Ils sont enquiquinants. : They (masculine or a mix) are boring.
Elles sont enquiquinantes. : They (all feminine) are boring.
Enquiquinant comes from the verb enquiquiner (to annoy, to bore).
Elle enquiquine son frère : She is annoying her brother / boring her brother.
You can also find is as a pronominal verb (with the s’ in front).
Je m’enquiquine : Literally I am boring myself: I am bored.
Elle m’enquiquine : She is boring / annoying me.
It’s safe to use with your friends and your boss, but only if you want to make them laugh.
1 thought on “Boring in French 😪 7 ways to say boring in French”
Merci beaucoup pour votre liste.
I’m reading at a B1/B2 level, so I was
looking for more recommendations of
books to read at this level when I came
across JustFrenchIt.