Why do I need to know c'est lunaire?
You might guess correctly this word is linked to the moon (la lune), but lunaire also has an important second meaning.
What does it mean?
C'est lunaire is often used to describe facts or events seen as surreal or incoherent - it expresses the feeling that something is crazy or contrary to reason.
It's used in both formal and informal contexts because it's not slang and sounds fancier than saying other loosely related synonyms like fou or zinzin.
It has the same root as the English word 'lunatic' - from an old-fashioned theory that mental health was linked to the phases of the moon - but lunaire is less harsh than 'loony' or 'lunatic'.
French people mostly use this term to describe situations, not people. But if you hear someone say a person is lunaire, they might mean that this person is either extravagant, imaginative or in their own world, or has changing moods — so not necessarily a bad thing.
Use it like this
C'est lunaire la politique française en ce moment ! - French politics are completely crazy at the moment!
Le métro qui ferme à 22h le samedi soir, c'est lunaire ! - The metro closing at 10pm on Saturday night, that's ridiculous!
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