n'importe quoi

fr
en
Change language
Translating...
anything, whatever, anything at all, nonsense, rubbish
Find language
العربية الفصحى
Arabic (Standard)
Deutsch
German
Español
Spanish
Français
French
Italiano
Italian
/n‿ɛ̃.pɔʁ.tə kwa/
Add to My Dictionary
In My Dictionary
+1
An open choice with no particular thing required, or a sharp judgment that something makes no sense.
Practice using n'importe quoi in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • Tu racontes n'importe quoi sur cette histoire.
    You are talking nonsense about this story.
  • Ce rapport, c'est vraiment n'importe quoi.
    This report is complete nonsense.
  • Il mange n'importe quoi quand il a faim.
    He eats anything when he is hungry.
  • Mets n'importe quoi de confortable pour le voyage.
    Wear anything comfortable for the journey.
  • Son excuse était tellement absurde que tout le monde a pensé : n'importe quoi.
    His excuse was so absurd that everyone thought, ‘What nonsense.’

Similar words

des absurdités
des foutaises
tout
une chose quelconque
tout ce qu'on veut
des bêtises
quoi que ce soit

Meanings

Anything at all

everyday
neutral
Any thing, action, or choice without a particular limit or preference.

Examples

  • Tu peux choisir n'importe quoi sur le menu.
    You can choose anything on the menu.
  • Elle ferait n'importe quoi pour protéger ses enfants.
    She would do anything to protect her children.
  • Mets n'importe quoi de confortable pour le voyage.
    Wear anything comfortable for the journey.
  • Demande-moi n'importe quoi, je te répondrai franchement.
    Ask me anything, and I will answer honestly.
  • Il mange n'importe quoi quand il a faim.
    He eats anything when he is hungry.

Similar words

tout ce qu'on veut
quoi que ce soit
une chose quelconque
tout

Nonsense or a mess

social
informal
Something said or done that is absurd, badly chosen, incoherent, or worthless, also used alone to reject a claim sharply.

Examples

  • Tu racontes n'importe quoi sur cette histoire.
    You are talking nonsense about this story.
  • Ce rapport, c'est vraiment n'importe quoi.
    This report is complete nonsense.
  • « La Terre est plate. » « N'importe quoi ! »
    ‘The Earth is flat.’ ‘Nonsense!’
  • Arrête de faire n'importe quoi avec mes outils.
    Stop making a mess with my tools.
  • Son excuse était tellement absurde que tout le monde a pensé : n'importe quoi.
    His excuse was so absurd that everyone thought, ‘What nonsense.’

Similar words

des absurdités
des bêtises
des foutaises

Etymology

Built from n'importe, literally ‘it does not matter’, and quoi, ‘what’. The older impersonal pattern survives in this fixed expression.

FAQ

What does n'importe quoi mean?

It means anything when the choice does not matter, and informally nonsense when rejecting something absurd.

Is n'importe quoi rude?

The neutral ‘anything’ use is not rude. Used alone to dismiss someone's words, it can sound blunt or mocking.

What does c'est n'importe quoi mean?

It means that something is absurd, incoherent, badly done, or a complete mess.

How do you pronounce n'importe quoi?

It is pronounced /n‿ɛ̃.pɔʁ.tə kwa/ in standard metropolitan French.

What is the difference between n'importe quoi and quoi que ce soit?

Both can mean ‘anything’, but quoi que ce soit is often more formal and works especially well in negative or conditional sentences.

Can n'importe quoi stand alone?

Yes. As a reply, N'importe quoi ! sharply rejects a claim as nonsense.

Comments & contributions

Know this word from another angle? Add a correction, a nuance, or a usage note. New posts go public after a quick review.
Posting as a guest · Sign in
No comments yet. Be the first to add one.
Look up word or phrase...