assez premier

You will mostly use this with the verb être (to be). It functions as an adjective describing a person's reaction or personality. You can say Il est assez premier or T'es trop premier là. Note that even though it refers to 'degrees,' the word degré is often dropped in casual speech. You can apply it to a specific comment someone made or to their general character. If someone is consistently literal-minded, they are just 'un mec premier degré.' If you want to soften the blow, adding assez (quite/fairly) makes it sound more like a casual observation than a harsh judgment. It is perfect for those 'Wait, were you being serious?' moments that happen every day on social media.

Imagine you are in a WhatsApp group. Someone posts a meme of a cat flying a plane with the caption 'My Uber driver is weird.' If a friend replies, 'Cats cannot actually obtain a pilot license,' that is the peak of being assez premier. You would reply: Mec, t'es tellement premier degré, c'est une blague. Another scenario is on Netflix. You are watching a sci-fi show and your partner keeps pointing out that there is no sound in space. You might sigh and say, Ne sois pas aussi premier, profite juste du film ! It is the ultimate shield against 'well-actually' people. Even in gaming, if you joke about 'throwing' the game and your teammate starts reporting you for toxic behavior because they didn't catch the sarcasm, they are being assez premier.

Use this in informal settings with friends, siblings, or colleagues you know well. It is great for diffusing tension when someone is taking a lighthearted comment too seriously. It is a staple of French internet culture, especially on Twitter (X) or Discord. If you see someone getting 'ratioed' because they missed a joke, the comments will be full of premier degré. It is also useful when you want to admit you were the one who missed the point. You can say, Désolé, j'étais un peu premier sur ce coup-là. It shows you have self-awareness. It works best in the heat of a conversation when the irony is thick and someone is trying to thin it out with facts.

Avoid this in formal environments like a job interview or a legal meeting. If your boss explains a safety protocol, do not tell them they are being assez premier for caring about the rules. They will not find it funny. It is also risky to use with people who are genuinely struggling with a language or culture. If a learner takes you literally, calling them assez premier might feel discouraging rather than playful. Don't use it for serious matters either. If someone is upset about a real problem, labeling them as 'too literal' is a quick way to start a real fight. Keep it for the low-stakes world of jokes, memes, and casual banter.

One big mistake is trying to make it feminine when describing a girl. While première exists, in this specific slang expression, we almost always stick to the masculine premier or premier degré because it refers to the concept of the 'degree.'

Another mistake is confusing it with being 'first' in a race.

Learners also try to use littéral which sounds like a translation from English. While 'littéral' is a word, it sounds very academic. If you want to sound like a native, premier degré is the way to go. Don't use it to mean someone is 'the best' either; it’s strictly about being literal.

If you want to mix it up, you can use au pied de la lettre. This literally means 'at the foot of the letter' and is the standard way to say someone takes things literally. It is a bit more formal but very common. Another one is être coincé, which means 'to be stuck' or 'uptight.' This is more negative. If someone is very serious and lacks humor, you might say they are trop sérieux. For the opposite effect (someone who is always joking), you use second degré. Learning these pairs is key. If premier degré is the ground floor, second degré is the balcony where all the cool, sarcastic people hang out.

You will hear 1er degré written in texts frequently. People also say trop premier to add emphasis. If you want to be more emphatic, you can say premier degré de ouf (literally 'first degree of crazy,' meaning 'insanely literal'). Some people might use the full phrase prendre les choses au premier degré (to take things at the first degree). In very slangy circles, you might even hear t'es un 1D (using the 'D' for degré). The word assez is just a modifier, so you can swap it for un peu (a bit) or tellement (so much) depending on how much your friend is annoying you with their facts.

Is it mean to call someone assez premier? Not usually! It is mostly used for playful ribbing among friends. However, like any 'label,' it depends on your tone. If you say it with a smile, it is a joke. If you snarl it, it’s an insult. Can I use it for myself? Yes! It is a great way to apologize for being a buzzkill. 'Sorry, I'm being assez premier today, I'm tired.' Does it only apply to jokes? Mostly, but it can also apply to someone who follows rules too strictly or misses social cues. Is it common in France? It is everywhere. From YouTube comments to reality TV, it is one of the most used 'vibe' descriptors in modern French.