Learning French: what does fou rire mean and when should it be used?

We have all been there… finding something so funny that you cannot stop laughing, to the point that your stomach aches and tears start leaking from your eyes. 

In France, this would be described as a fou rire. 

We look at the different ways to use this funny French phrase so that you sound just like a native speaker.

What does fou rire mean?

It literally translates as ‘crazy laugh’ and refers to a hysterical laugh that cannot be controlled. 

You might sometimes hear avoir une crise de fou rire, which describes having a fit of the giggles.

It is similar to how you might describe someone as ‘crying with laughter’ or ‘splitting their sides’ in English.

Despite being deemed ‘fou’, this does not automatically imply that a person’s laugh is booming or wildly crazy. A fou rire is often more like a suppressed chuckle or ‘silent laugh’ that usually happens at an inappropriate or unfortunate moment.

Note that if you actually want to describe someone as having a laugh that is crazy, you will need to say: Il avait un rire fou, or son rire était fou. Think of Jack Nicholson in Shining.

Read also: Funny you should say that – the language of French laughter

Fou rire can also be used to refer to a moment, rather than the laugh itself. 

For example, if something happens that causes an actor or presenter to corpse (laugh so hard they are unable to continue reading the script), the moment in general would also be referred to as being a fou rire.

CNN’s presenter Anderson Cooper had one of these moments: (Starting around 1’30)

Films and TV series sometimes release a series of clips, post-production, showing instances when things have gone wrong during filming. These would be referred to as ‘bloopers’ or ‘funny moments’ in English, whereas they are called bêtisiers in French, deriving from the word bêtise.

The plural of a fou rire is fous rires. Some people tend to think that rire is a verb, and therefore invariable - but here it is actually a noun. Therefore, the adjective fou agrees in gender and number with rire.

Read also: Learning French: the origins and meaning of fada

What are the origins of fou rire?

It was written un rire fou until the 18th Century, then the phrase was reversed to become the form that is used today.

Some people hyphenate the term when writing it down, however it is more commonly seen as two separate words.

Read also: 9 French expressions with the word gueule

When do you say fou rire?

Say this to describe an uncontrollable fit of laughter:

• J'ai eu un fou rire pendant la conférence, j'ai dû quitter la salle jusqu'à ce que je me calme. - I could not stop laughing during the conference, I had to leave the room until I had calmed down.

It can also be used in a more nuanced way to refer to a funny moment:

• Il s'est rendu compte qu'il portait encore son masque de nuit lorsqu'il est arrivé au travail. Le fou rire ! - He realised that he still had his sleep mask on his head when he got to work. It was so funny!

To whom do you say fou rire?

It is considered neutral language that can be used with a range of people (friends, family, colleagues, strangers…) to describe a funny moment. 

People may be offended if you use this term to refer to a situation that they found particularly embarrassing, as the butt of the joke.

If you would like us to explain a particular word or expression, or if you have any other Learning French suggestions, let us know at: feedback@connexionfrance.com