A certain je ne sais quoi: Meaning and uses of this enigmatic expression

Have you ever heard someone say that something has a certain je ne sais quoi? Or perhaps you’ve even heard this French expression used on people, that someone has a certain je ne sais quoi about them? Sure, it sounds lovely to exclaim, but what does je ne sais quoi mean?

In short, the French phrase je ne sais quoi is used to describe a quality or charm that is difficult to articulate or define precisely. It encapsulates an indescribable essence or allure that adds a certain appeal or fascination to a person, thing, or situation.

Today we’ll take a close look at the meaning of je ne sais quoi in English and French, since it’s one of the many French expressions used in English. We’ll start with its direct translation, and then move on to the figurative meaning of je ne sais quoi in both languages. Once we’ve explored its meanings, we’ll go explore the main contexts where it’s commonly used. Finally, we’ll answer the question of whether je ne sais quoi is a compliment, suggesting a number of suitable reactions in case you hear it used.

As always, we’ll provide plenty of examples using je ne sais quoi in a sentence, as well as links to our related posts on French grammar and vocab.

Je ne sais quoi: Definition

Before we get into its idiomatic meanings, we should begin with a straight translation of je ne sais quoi in French. Let’s look at each of the expression’s four words in turn.

Je simply means I in French. In grammatical terms, this is the first-person singular subject pronoun.

Ne is our quintessential French negation word, generally translated into English as not. Ne is normally paired with another negation word: pas is the most common, but other French negation adjectives include que, rien, or jamais. Je ne sais quoi is an exception to this rule, since it doesn’t take an additional negation word.

Sais is the first-person singular conjugation in le présent of the verb savoir, meaning to know in French.

Quoi is the French question word meaning what.

Thus, when we translate je ne sais quoi literally, we get I don’t know what.

Just keep in mind that this is just a direct translation of this expression as a whole! if you want to say I don’t know in French, you need to use the full negation construction with ne…pas that we saw above and say je ne sais pas.

Finally, we should note the grammatical category of je ne sais quoi. In English, it’s considered a noun, along the same lines as other qualities.

In French it’s considered to be an indefinite pronoun, or un pronom indéfini, since it’s used in the place of a noun whose identity is unclear. It’s singular, masculine, and invariable. An alternative spelling in French uses hyphens to link the words: je-ne-sais-quoi.

What is Je ne sais quoi?

In our last section we saw the literal translation of this term, but I don’t know what barely scratches the surface of the real uses of the French je ne sais quoi. Let’s take a look at some of the intangible sentiments that this expression is meant to evoke when we use it to describe a person, an object, or a situation.

On the one hand, je ne sais quoi implies an element of mystery or intrigue. It suggests that there is something about a person, object, or situation that’s captivating or alluring, yet it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what it is.

It can also emphasize subtlety and nuance in our descriptions. It acknowledges that there may be subtle qualities or nuances that contribute to the overall attractiveness or fascination of something, even if they’re not immediately obvious.

What’s more, je ne sais quoi can be used to suggest a certain charm or allure that makes someone or something particularly enchanting. It suggests that there’s an intangible quality that sets a person, place, or thing apart and adds to its overall appeal.

As you can probably tell, a straightforward meaning of je ne sais quoi is hard to single out, but its use revolves around general impressions of awe and magic in whatever we’re describing. If something clearly has pizzazz, oomph, or glamour, it’s likely that there’s some degree of je ne sais quoi about it too.

With all this in mind, we can even say that the expression itself has a certain je ne sais quoi to it!

How to use Je ne sais quoi

Now that we’ve discussed all the possible undertones of this delightful expression, it’s time to see it used in different contexts. Let’s see how we can use the French je ne sais quoi in both languages, showing how well it’s been adopted with the same meaning into English.

You’ll notice that in either language, je ne sais quoi is often preceded by an adjective, often from among the descriptive words we highlighted in our previous explanations. In English, it’s also very commonly expressed as a certain je ne sais quoi, while in French we often use the same wording as un certain je ne sais quoi. The preposition that follows is generally to or about.

Now let’s see a bunch of examples of how to use je ne sais quoi in a sentence!

Describing a person

We can refer to a person as having a certain je ne sais quoi about them, meaning that there’s some mysterious but positive attribute to the person that we can’t quite put our finger on. It’s often related to their creative side, whether in appearance or attitude.

• She possessed a certain je ne sais quoi that made her presence unforgettable in any room. – Elle possédait un certain je ne sais quoi qui rendait sa présence inoubliable dans n’importe quelle salle.

• There’s a subtle je ne sais quoi about his style that sets him apart from other fashion designers. – Il y a un subtil je ne sais quoi dans son style qui le distingue des autres créateurs de mode.

• The actress had a captivating je ne sais quoi that captivated audiences worldwide. – L’actrice avait un je ne sais quoi captivant qui a captivé le public du monde entier.

• Despite her plain appearance, there was a magnetic je ne sais quoi about her personality that drew people to her. – Malgré son apparence simple, il y avait un je ne sais quoi magnétique dans sa personnalité qui attirait les gens vers elle.

• Diana had a particular charm, a je ne sais quoi that attracted everyone’s attention. – Diana avait un charme particulier, un je ne sais quoi qui attirait tous les regards.

• Her exuberant personality had an elusive side, a je ne sais quoi that made her unique. – Sa personnalité exubérante avait un côté insaisissable, un je ne sais quoi qui la rendait unique.

• Her perfume left behind a delicate je ne sais quoi that bewildered all those who smelled it. – Son parfum laissait derrière lui un délicat je ne sais quoi qui enivrait tous ceux qui le sentaient.

• She has a certain je ne sais quoi that attracts people to her, something indefinable but very special. – Elle a un je ne sais quoi qui attire les gens à elle, quelque chose d’indéfinissable mais de très spécial.

Discussing an object or a place

When we talk about a place or an object, describing it as having a je ne sais quoi suggests that it has some captivating qualities that can’t really be narrowed down.

• The old bookstore had a nostalgic je ne sais quoi that transported visitors back in time. – L’ancienne librairie avait un je ne sais quoi nostalgique qui transportait les visiteurs dans le temps.

• He couldn’t quite explain it, but there was a charming je ne sais quoi about the quaint little village. – Il ne pouvait pas vraiment l’expliquer, mais il y avait un charmant je ne sais quoi dans ce petit village pittoresque.

• The old mansion had a mysterious je ne sais quoi that intrigued urban explorers. – Le vieux manoir avait un mystérieux je ne sais quoi qui intriguait les explorateurs urbains.

• This old house had a timeless charm, a je ne sais quoi that made it magical. – Cette maison ancienne avait un charme intemporel, un je ne sais quoi qui la rendait magique.

• Québec’s old city has a picturesque side and a je ne sais quoi that makes it so attractive. – La vieille ville de Québec a un côté pittoresque et un je ne sais quoi qui la rendent si séduisante.

• The room had a mysterious atmosphere, a je ne sais quoi that gave you chills. – La pièce avait une atmosphère mystérieuse, un je ne sais quoi qui donnait des frissons.

• New Orleans has a je ne sais quoi that makes it unique, a special atmosphere that cannot be found anywhere else. – Il y a à Nouvelle-Orléans un je ne sais quoi qui la rend unique, une atmosphère particulière qu’on ne retrouve nulle part ailleurs.

• There’s a je ne sais quoi to this café that keeps me coming back. It’s more than just the coffee; it’s the atmosphere. – Il y a un je ne sais quoi dans ce café qui me fait revenir. C’est plus que le café, c’est l’ambiance.

In creative disciplines like art or fashion

Describing creative endeavors as having a je ne sais quoi is quite trendy, since it gives the work an aura of intrigue and even sexiness. By extension, we’re giving credit to the creators of the high fashion, artwork, or haute cuisine when we describe it as having a certain je ne sais quoi.

• This sculpture has a je ne sais quoi that sets it apart from others, a mysterious quality that makes it so fascinating. – Cette sculpture a un je ne sais quoi qui la distingue des autres, une qualité mystérieuse qui la rend si fascinante.

• This painting has a certain je ne sais quoi that makes it so captivating. It’s not just the imagery and the technique behind it; there’s something deeper that draws you in. – Ce tableau a un certain je ne sais quoi qui le rend si captivant. Il ne s’agit pas seulement de l’imagerie et de la technique qui se cache derrière ; il y a quelque chose de plus profond qui vous attire.

• The artist’s painting gave off a feeling of melancholy, a je ne sais quoi which moved the spectators. – Le tableau de l’artiste dégageait un sentiment de mélancolie, un je ne sais quoi qui émouvait les spectateurs.

• There’s a certain je ne sais quoi to her cooking that makes every dish taste extraordinary. – Il y a un certain je ne sais quoi dans sa cuisine qui donne à chaque plat un goût extraordinaire.

• Grandma’s recipe had a secret ingredient, a je ne sais quoi that made it so delicious. – La recette de grand-mère avait un ingrédient secret, un je ne sais quoi qui la rendait si délicieuse.

• The musician’s music had a soulful je ne sais quoi that touched the hearts of listeners everywhere. – La musique du musicien avait un je ne sais quoi émouvant qui a touché le cœur des auditeurs du monde entier.

• There is a unique timbre in his voice, a je ne sais quoi that touches the heart. – Il y a dans sa voix un timbre unique, un je ne sais quoi qui touche au cœur.

• Her way of dancing had something indescribable, a je ne sais quoi that hypnotized the audience. – Sa façon de danser avait quelque chose d’insaississable, un je ne sais quoi qui hypnotisait le public.

Reactions: Is Je ne sais quoi a compliment?

For most people, je ne sais quoi can be considered in a very positive light. Sure, it’s always used vaguely, rather than using specific adjectives to describe something, but therein lies its charm. Whether used in English or French, je ne sais quoi always invokes a unique and appealing quality!

If someone says you have a certain je ne sais quoi, what should you do? You should acknowledge it graciously! It’s definitely a compliment, unless you’re really just trying to melt into the crowd rather than stand out.

When used in conversation, hearing someone describe something as having a je ne sais quoi should evoke curiosity and interest, prompting further exploration or appreciation of the subject. It can be used as an invitation to share your own opinions, perhaps coming up with more enigmatic adjectives in response.

Conclusion: Je ne sais quoi

Today we’ve taken a deep look at the expression je ne sais quoi.

Whether used in English or in French, it conveys a sense of mystery, charm, and allure. It’s anything but specific, suggesting an indescribable quality that adds fascination and appeal to a person, a place, an object, or a situation.

So the next time you’re at a loss to come up with precise adjectives for something that catches your fancy, go ahead and describe it as having a certain je ne sais quoi!