💬👎

How to Say ‘Your line is terrible!’ in French

Elle est nulle, votre phrase !

ell eh NOOL vot-ruh frahz

[ell eh NOOL vot-ruh frahz]

💬 Usage Tip: Spoken French often says elle first and names the thing at the end, as in Il est bon, ton vin "It's good, your wine."

🇫🇷 In France: Mocking someone's chat-up line is a common way to flirt back. Said with a grin, it means you're playing along.

Phrase Breakdown

Elle est nulle,

ell eh NOOL

It's rubbish,

'Nulle' is a casual word for 'bad' or 'lame'. Link the words smoothly: 'eh-leh NUL'.

Example

Elle est nulle, cette idée.

That idea is rubbish.

Words in this phrase

Elle

[ell]

it / she

Refers to a feminine noun already mentioned, often 'la salle'.

Example

Elle convient mieux aux repas en petit comité.

It suits meals in a small group better.

est

[eh]

Third person singular present of be.

Example

C'est important.

It is important.

nulle

[NOOL]

lame / rubbish

Feminine of 'nul'; informal way to say something is bad or useless, often used playfully.

Example

Cette blague est nulle !

This joke is lame!

votre phrase !

vot-ruh frahz

your line!

Here 'phrase' means a pick-up line. Say 'VOH-truh FRAHZ', with the 'ph' pronounced as 'f'.

Example

J'aime votre phrase.

I like your line.

Words in this phrase

votre

[vot-ruh]

your

Belonging to you.

Example

Votre voiture est là.

Your car is there.

phrase

[frahz]

sentence

A group of words; feminine noun.

Example

Il a dit une phrase drôle.

He said a funny sentence.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Moved to Lyon for a culinary apprenticeship. The food and restaurant lessons were exactly what I needed — my French colleagues were genuinely impressed.”

Tom H., 38, Chef

“Studying in Paris and the academic French I learned in school was useless for daily life. This app filled the gap in weeks, not months.”

Nina W., 29, Graduate Student

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer