Fun and funny both look positive, but they describe different things. Fun means enjoyment: a fun party is a party you enjoy. Funny means it makes you laugh: a funny joke makes people laugh.
Fun is normally a noun, and it can also be an informal adjective before a noun. Funny is an adjective and has a second meaning: strange or odd. "There is a funny smell" means the smell is strange, not amusing.
This page separates the two feelings with eight examples, then tests you with 15 sentences. Every answer says which feeling the sentence describes.
What each word means
fun
fun (noun, uncountable): enjoyment and pleasure. Also an informal adjective meaning enjoyable: a fun day, a fun game.
funny
funny (adjective): making you laugh. A second meaning is strange or odd: a funny noise, a funny feeling.
The rule
Fun is enjoyment
- As a noun, fun is uncountable: have fun, a lot of fun, for fun. There is no plural funs.
- As an adjective, fun is informal and goes before a noun: a fun evening, a fun game.
- The feeling is mine: "The party was fun" means I enjoyed the party.
- Fun does not mean that something made you laugh. A fun person is pleasant to be with, not necessarily a comedian.
Funny makes you laugh
- Funny is an adjective: a funny joke, a funny film, a funny story.
- The comparative is funnier and the superlative is funniest.
- If something makes you laugh, it is funny, even when the activity itself was not fun: "The clown was funny, but waiting outside was not fun."
- A funny person tells jokes and makes people laugh.
Funny also means strange
- A funny noise, a funny smell or a funny taste is odd, not amusing.
- A funny feeling is a strange feeling, often a worried one: "I have a funny feeling about this."
- Funny business means dishonest behaviour: "No funny business."
- The context decides. "The film was funny" means it made me laugh; "the milk tastes funny" means it is strange.
Formal writing and fixed phrases
- In formal writing, some editors avoid fun as an adjective and use enjoyable instead: "an enjoyable evening".
- Fun and games means a light activity, often with irony: "There will be fun and games at the meeting."
- For fun and in fun mean without a serious purpose: "I said it in fun."
- Make fun of someone means to laugh at them unkindly. It is not a compliment.
How to remember
The trick: Fun is what you feel; funny is what you laugh at. A fun party is enjoyable, and a funny joke makes you laugh.
Examples
- We had a lot of fun at the beach.Fun is the enjoyment the speakers felt.
- The film was really funny.The film made the speakers laugh, so funny is correct.
- She told a funny story about her cat.The story makes people laugh.
- It was a fun evening with friends.Fun is an informal adjective before a noun.
- There is a funny smell in the kitchen.Here funny means strange, not amusing.
- Skiing is fun when the snow is good.The activity gives enjoyment, so fun is correct.
- Why are you laughing? Is it something funny?The laughter points to something amusing.
- The party was fun, but the clown was not funny.The evening gave enjoyment, and the clown failed to make anyone laugh.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: We had funny at the beach. Right: We had fun at the beach.
- The sentence is about enjoyment, so the uncountable noun fun is needed.
- Wrong: The joke was very fun. Right: The joke was very funny.
- A joke makes people laugh, so the adjective funny is correct.
- Wrong: It was a funny party and everyone enjoyed it. Right: It was a fun party and everyone enjoyed it.
- Enjoyment is fun. A funny party would be a strange party.
- Wrong: He is a fun person who makes everyone laugh. Right: He is a funny person who makes everyone laugh.
- Making people laugh is described with funny, not fun.
- Wrong: I did not have funny at the weekend. Right: I did not have fun at the weekend.
- Fun is the uncountable noun that goes with have.
Practice drill
Answer all 15 questions. Each answer is marked at once, and the rule is explained under the question.
We had a lot of ___ at the beach.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. fun The sentence is about enjoyment, so the uncountable noun fun is correct.
The film was very ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. funny The film made people laugh, so the adjective funny is correct.
It was a ___ evening with friends.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. fun Fun works as an informal adjective meaning enjoyable before a noun.
She told a ___ story.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. funny A story that makes people laugh is funny.
There is a ___ smell in the kitchen.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. funny Here funny has its second meaning of strange or odd.
Skiing is ___ when the snow is good.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. fun The activity gives enjoyment, so fun is correct.
Everyone laughed at his ___ joke.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. funny A joke that makes people laugh is funny.
The party was ___, but the food was terrible.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. fun The guests enjoyed the party, so fun describes the enjoyment.
He is a ___ person and always makes us laugh.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. funny Making people laugh is described with the adjective funny.
We did it just for ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. fun For fun is a fixed phrase meaning without a serious purpose.
I heard a ___ noise outside.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. funny A strange noise is described with funny in its odd meaning.
Playing games with friends is ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. fun The activity is enjoyable, so fun is the right word.
Her new hairstyle looks ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. funny The sentence describes something odd, so funny means strange here.
The comedy show was ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. funny A comedy show makes people laugh, so funny is correct.
Have ___ at the party!
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. fun Have fun is the fixed phrase for wishing someone enjoyment.
Questions learners ask
Is fun ever countable?
No. As a noun, fun is uncountable, like information and advice. Say fun, some fun or a lot of fun. There is no word funs, and a fun is not used either.
When does funny mean strange?
When it describes something that seems odd: a funny smell, a funny noise, a funny feeling, funny business. The situation tells you: if nobody is laughing, funny means strange.
Can I say very fun?
You will hear it in informal speech, but some speakers dislike it because fun is not a full adjective. Safer options are really fun, great fun or very enjoyable. In writing, enjoyable is the formal choice.
More confusing words
Desert vs dessert
Desert has one s and means dry land or to leave someone. Dessert has two s’s and is the sweet food after a meal.
Peace vs piece
Peace means calm, quiet and no fighting. Piece means a part or portion of something.
Quiet vs quite
Quiet is about low noise and has two syllables. Quite is an adverb that makes the next word stronger: quite good means fairly good.
Browse all the confusing word pairs or take the free A1 to C2 level test to find your starting point.