Bedeutung
Used to express strong disapproval or that something is bad.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The French often use 'C'est nul' as a conversation starter to bond over shared frustrations. It's part of the 'râleur' (complainer) stereotype, which is actually a form of social sincerity. In Quebec, while 'C'est nul' is understood, you might also hear 'C'est plate', which specifically means 'It's boring' or 'It sucks'. Belgian French speakers use 'C'est nul' similarly to the French, but they might also use 'C'est la zone' to describe a bad or depressing situation. Swiss French is generally more polite, but 'C'est nul' remains the standard informal way to express disappointment among younger generations.
The 'Trop' Trick
Add 'trop' (too) before 'nul' to sound like a native teenager: 'C'est trop nul !'
Watch your tone
If you say 'C'est nul' with a smile, it's a light complaint. With a frown, it's a harsh judgment.
Bedeutung
Used to express strong disapproval or that something is bad.
The 'Trop' Trick
Add 'trop' (too) before 'nul' to sound like a native teenager: 'C'est trop nul !'
Watch your tone
If you say 'C'est nul' with a smile, it's a light complaint. With a frown, it's a harsh judgment.
Litotes
If you want to sound more sophisticated, say 'C'est pas terrible' instead of 'C'est nul'.
Teste dich selbst
Choose the correct form to describe a boring party.
La fête était ______.
Since 'la fête' is feminine singular, the adjective 'nul' must agree and become 'nulle'.
Complete the reaction to bad news.
— Je ne peux pas venir ce soir. — Oh non, ______ nul !
We use 'C'est' to refer to the situation of the friend not coming.
Match the phrase to the correct context.
When would you say 'Je suis nul en dessin'?
'Je suis nul en [subject]' means you lack skill in that area.
Finish the dialogue with the most natural informal response.
A: Le nouveau resto est cher et pas bon. B: ______.
If a restaurant is expensive and not good, 'C'est nul' is the appropriate negative reaction.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
When to say 'C'est nul'
Weather
- • Rain
- • Cold
- • Gray skies
Entertainment
- • Boring movies
- • Bad music
- • Losing a game
Daily Life
- • Broken phone
- • No more bread
- • Late bus
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenLa fête était ______.
Since 'la fête' is feminine singular, the adjective 'nul' must agree and become 'nulle'.
— Je ne peux pas venir ce soir. — Oh non, ______ nul !
We use 'C'est' to refer to the situation of the friend not coming.
When would you say 'Je suis nul en dessin'?
'Je suis nul en [subject]' means you lack skill in that area.
A: Le nouveau resto est cher et pas bon. B: ______.
If a restaurant is expensive and not good, 'C'est nul' is the appropriate negative reaction.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
5 FragenNo, it is not a swear word. It is informal but perfectly safe to use in most social situations.
It's better not to. It sounds a bit disrespectful. Use 'C'est difficile' or 'Je n'ai pas aimé'.
In law, it means 'invalid'. In math, it means 'zero'. But in 99% of conversations, it means 'bad'.
The feminine is 'nulle' (pronounced the same).
You would usually say 'C'est pas mal' (It's not bad) or 'C'est bien' (It's good).
Verwandte Redewendungen
C'est naze
synonymIt's rubbish / It's broken.
C'est pourri
similarIt's rotten.
C'est dommage
contrastIt's a shame.
C'est pas terrible
similarIt's not great.
