"Chelou" - Definition and Pronunciation in French

📖 Definition of the expression “Chelou / C’est chelou / il est chelou”

The expression “Chelou” means that something is shady, unclear, or hard to believe. It’s the word “louche” (suspicious) in verlan (backward slang). When you say someone is chelou, it means they don’t really inspire trust, they’re hard to figure out, or they’re acting strangely.

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🖼 Illustration of “chelou”!

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🗣 Pronunciation in French

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🥳 Usage in casual, informal settings

“C’est chelou, je ne retrouve plus mon téléphone portable alors qu’il était dans ma poche. C’est très bizarre, je me demande où il a pu passer.” (That’s chelou, I can’t find my phone even though it was in my pocket. It’s really weird, I wonder where it went.)

“Il est chelou lui, il me regarde bizarrement depuis une heure.” (He’s chelou, he’s been staring at me weirdly for an hour.)

“Elle est vraiment chelou, elle m’a demandé si j’étais un extra-terrestre. Quel est son problème ?” (She’s really chelou, she asked me if I was an alien. What’s her problem?)

👩‍💻 Usage in professional, formal settings

The expression “chelou” should never be used in a professional setting because it’s slang.

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