A common mistake for students learning English is the difference between Fun and Funny.
What is the difference between Fun and Funny?
Both can be used as adjectives (words that describe something)
Funny = it makes you laugh
Fun = when you enjoy yourself and have a good time
(*But Fun can also be a noun – see below)
A comedian is…. FUNNY (because he makes you laugh)
Going to an amusement park is … FUN (because you enjoy yourself and have a good time)
Compare these examples:
- John is a fun guy. (I have a good time when I am with John)
- John is a funny guy. (John makes me laugh)
And in negative sentences…
- Going to a dentist is not fun!
- Doing a long boring exam is not fun.
- Nobody laughed because his joke was not funny.
- An accident is never funny. (Well, it’s not supposed to be funny!)
Are the following situations fun or funny?
1. A party with your friends is…
2. A clown is…
3. Playing a game is…
4. Visiting new places is…
5. A friend tells you a great joke. The joke is…
Answers
1. Fun 2. Funny 3. Fun 4. Fun 5. Funny
Fun as a noun
Fun (noun) = enjoyment or pleasure
- I had lots of fun at the party last night.
- We hope you have fun at the beach tomorrow!
Fun (noun) can also be used to describe the good humour and playful behaviour of a person.
- She is not boring at all, she is actually full of fun.
Are you a fun person or funny person?
{ 1 comment }
Fun is a noun.
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-fun1.htm
http://en.allexperts.com/q/General-Writing-Grammar-680/distinguish-funny.htm
Question
How do we distinguish “funny” from “fun”?
I don’t know if you can help me find online resources in regard to this grammar rule.
Do we say, “He is a fun guy” or “He is a funny guy”?
Answer
“Fun guy” is grammatically correct, but acceptable as an idiom.
English rules say that nouns do not occur one after the other — fun is a noun and so is guy, therefore they cannot occur sequentially. Also, a noun is normally not used to modify another noun. An adjective (funny) modifies a noun.
People do use the term “fun guy” as an idiom. To call someone a “fun guy,” however, is also different in meaning from calling someone a “funny guy.”
A funny guy is someone who does funny things — tells jokes, makes you laugh, or is silly.
A “fun guy” is someone who is fun to be with — perhaps he is witty, or enjoys life so much that he makes you feel the same. Perhaps he likes to go out and have dinner or go dancing. He enjoys doing things that are fun to do.
Tony
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