Looking for a laugh? Our collection of short French jokes is sure to make you smile. From puns to one-liners, we’ve got you covered!
Wittiness, irony, and deft wordplay are hallmarks of French humor. Over time, the form of comedy known as short French jokes has become increasingly popular. These jokes are distinguished by their succinctness and frequently make a point in a few simple words. Laughter-inducing short French jokes include some of the following:
- Pourquoi les plongeurs plongent-ils toujours en arrière et jamais en avant ? Parce que sinon ils tombent dans le bateau.
Translation: Why do divers always dive backward and never forward? Because otherwise, they fall into the boat.
This joke plays on the fact that diving backward is a safer way to enter the water without hitting the boat. The joke is funny because it’s unexpected and requires a bit of thought to understand.
- Qu’est-ce que la méduse a dit à l’autre méduse ? Tu me fais de l’oeil.
Translation: What did the jellyfish say to the other jellyfish? You’re winking at me.
This joke is a pun on the French word “oeil” (eye) and “ail” (garlic). The joke is funny because it takes a simple phrase and turns it into a clever play on words.
- Qu’est-ce que les zèbres disent quand ils voient un lion ? Rien, ils sont en pyjama.
Translation: What do zebras say when they see a lion? Nothing, they’re in their pajamas.
This joke is funny because it plays on the black and white stripes of the zebra, which are similar to pajamas. The humor comes from the absurdity of the idea that zebras would wear pajamas.
- Qu’est-ce qu’un chat avec neuf vies et un bébé français ont en commun ? Ils ont tous les deux chaton.
Translation: What do a cat with nine lives and a French baby have in common? They both have kittens.
This joke is a pun on the French words “chat” (cat) and “châton” (kitten). The humor comes from the absurdity of the idea that a baby could have nine lives like a cat.
- Pourquoi les plongeurs plongent-ils toujours en arrière et jamais en avant ? Parce que sinon ils tombent dans le ciel.
Translation: Why do divers always dive backward and never forward? Because otherwise, they fall into the sky.
This joke is a twist on the first joke in this list. It takes the concept of diving backward and turns it on its head by suggesting that the diver would end up in the sky instead of the water. The humor comes from the unexpectedness of the punchline.
- Comment appelle-t-on un chat qui a des croquettes ? Un chat-té.
Translation: What do you call a cat with cat food? A “chat-té” (play on “chatty”).
This joke is a play on the French word “chat” (cat) and the English word “chatty.” The humor comes from the clever wordplay and the absurdity of the idea that a cat could be talkative.
- Pourquoi les plongeurs plongent-ils toujours en arrière et jamais en avant ? Parce que sinon ils tombent dans l’eau.
Translation: Why do divers always dive backward and never forward? Because otherwise, they fall into the water.
This joke is a variation of the first joke in this list. It takes the concept of diving backward and delivers a more straightforward punchline. The humor comes from the simplicity and cleverness of the joke.
- Pourquoi les paresseux ne font-ils jamais de sport ? Parce que ça leur donne des crampes aux doigts de pieds !
Translation: Why don’t sloths do sports? Because it gives them cramps in their toes!
This joke plays on the stereotype that sloths are slow and lazy creatures that don’t do much physical activity. The humor comes from the unexpectedness of the punchline, which suggests that sloths might be trying to exercise, but their lazy nature gets in the way. The reference to cramps in the toes adds an extra layer of humor to the joke, as it’s a relatable experience for many people who have tried to exercise after a long period of inactivity.
The world’s funniest joke in French
As humor is a personal experience, not everyone will find the same things amusing. To find the funniest joke in the world, however, a survey was done in 2002. Almost 70 nations were included in the study, and the following joke was chosen as the winner:
Deux chasseurs sont dans les bois quand l’un d’eux s’effondre. Il ne respire plus et ses yeux sont vitreux. L’autre chasseur prend son téléphone portable et appelle les urgences :
- Allô ? Mon ami est mort ! Qu’est-ce que je peux faire ?
Calmez-vous, je peux vous aider. Tout d’abord, assurez-vous qu’il est bien mort.
Un moment de silence, puis une détonation.
De retour au téléphone, le chasseur dit :
C’est bon, et maintenant ?
Translation: Two hunters are in the woods when one of them collapses. He’s not breathing and his eyes are glazed over. The other hunter takes out his cell phone and calls emergency services:
- Hello? My friend is dead! What can I do?
Calm down, I can help you. First, make sure he’s dead.
A moment of silence, then a gunshot.
Back on the phone, the hunter says:
Okay, now what?
The humor in this joke comes from the unexpectedness of the punchline, as the listener is led to believe that the hunter will perform some life-saving action, but instead, he confirms that his friend is dead by shooting him. The joke also plays on the idea that hunters are often seen as rugged and skilled individuals who know how to handle themselves in the wild, but in this case, they make a fatal mistake.
While being deemed the funniest joke ever, it may not be the funniest joke ever spoken in French because comedy is very context- and culture-dependent. An excellent approach to adding comedy to daily life is with a few short French jokes. To come up with surprising punchlines that can make people laugh, these jokes frequently include puns, cultural allusions, and stereotypes.
While some of these jokes may be difficult to understand for those who are not familiar with the French language or culture, they can also be a great way to learn about new words and expressions. Overall, humor is an important part of the human experience, and incorporating short French jokes into daily life can help to make the world a more lighthearted and enjoyable place. So, don’t hesitate to share your favorite short French jokes with your friends and family to brighten up their day!