French Conversation · Level 112
59 words
French word
farce
Pronunciation
IPA/faʁs/
Meaning
- feminine nounprank
Example
Il a fait une farce à son frère.
He played a prank on his brother.
More examples
La farce a mal tourné.
The prank went wrong.
Core concept
A playful setup that catches someone off guard and turns the surprise into laughter.
Common phrases
faire une farce à quelqu'un
play a prank on someone
jouer une farce à quelqu'un
play a prank on someone
Similar words
blague: A short joke told to make people laugh.
plaisanterie: A light joke or playful remark meant to amuse.
canular: An elaborate hoax that spreads false information to deceive people.
Definition in French
Action ou plaisanterie faite pour surprendre ou jouer un tour à quelqu'un afin de provoquer le rire.
Word origin
French farce comes from Old French farce, linked to Latin farcire, 'to stuff'; a comic inserted scene was treated as a filling before the word extended to a prank.
Usage tips
- The usual pattern is faire une farce à quelqu'un, with à marking the person targeted by the prank.