Fun or funny?

ab-com (35)in #english • 3 years ago

Grammar > Easily confused words > Fun or funny?
from English Grammar Today
Fun
Fun is an uncountable noun meaning ‘pleasure and enjoyment’:

We had such fun together.

It was fun to go to the beach with Rita’s family.

I hope you have fun!

Spoken English:
In informal speaking, we also use fun as an adjective:

We did a lot of fun activities in groups and individually to learn, have a fun time, and to get to know each other better.

Funny
Funny is an adjective and it means ‘amusing’ or ‘causing laughter’:

[an author is being interviewed about the main character in her book]

A:
How would you describe Lorna?

B:
Well. I think she’s very self-confident and assertive. I think she’s genuinely funny.

I think Jerry Springer is so funny. I just laugh so much when I watch his show.

Funny can also mean ‘strange’, ‘surprising’, ‘unexpected’ or ‘difficult to explain or understand’:

A funny thing happened to me the other day. I was parking my car and a man came and knocked on my window … (A strange/surprising/unexpected thing happened …)

Wasn’t it funny the way Don just got up and left without saying goodbye to anyone? (Wasn’t it strange …)

Typical error
We don’t use funny to mean ‘enjoyable’:

The week I stayed in your country was really fun and I found the city where you live very interesting and beautiful.

Not: … in your country was really funny …