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French · The Basics

C'est nul !

say NOOL · /sɛ nyl/

That sucks / That's lame

1/5 Grandma-safe

mild, playful; fine on daytime TV

Literally

"It's null/zero"

Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.

How to use it

Mild, everyday, safe for all ages — the go-to for a disappointing film, a rained-out plan, a boring party. "Nul" also works as an adjective for a hopeless person ("il est nul en maths" = he's hopeless at maths). No real bite; just flat disappointment.

Heard in the wild

On a annulé la sortie ? C'est nul.

They cancelled the outing? That sucks.

Where it lands

France (universal)

Quick answers

What does "C'est nul !" mean?
In French, "C'est nul !" means "That sucks / That's lame". Literally it's "It's null/zero". Mild, everyday, safe for all ages — the go-to for a disappointing film, a rained-out plan, a boring party. "Nul" also works as an adjective for a hopeless person ("il est nul en maths" = he's hopeless at maths). No real bite; just flat disappointment.
Is "C'est nul !" offensive?
It's on the mild end — 1/5 (Grandma-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. mild, playful; fine on daytime TV.
How do you pronounce "C'est nul !"?
Say it "say NOOL" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: sɛ nyl.

Related in French

Con KOHN Idiot / dumbass — the single most useful insult in French Ta gueule ! ta GUHL Shut up! / Shut your mouth! Casse-toi, pauvre con ! kass-TWAH POH-vruh KOHN Get lost, you pathetic idiot Ça craint ! sa KRAN That's sketchy / That sucks / This is bad news C'est chiant ! say SHYAHN It's a pain / annoying as hell Gerber zhehr-BAY To puke / barf

The same idea, elsewhere

Via concepts like "Tough luck".

how to say "Tough luck" →

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