réellement inadéquat

You will mostly use this phrase as an adjective. It usually follows the verb être or modifies a noun. It sounds a bit sophisticated. You can use it to describe a plan, a response, or even a piece of equipment. It is like a verbal red flag. It tells people that the current approach is not just a little off, but totally wrong.

Use it when you need to be clear and firm. It works well in professional settings. For example, if a colleague suggests a budget that is way too small. You might say the budget is réellement inadéquat. It is also great for discussing social blunders. If someone wears a swimsuit to a formal wedding, their outfit is réellement inadéquat. It adds a layer of serious criticism without being overly aggressive.

Avoid using this for small, everyday annoyances. If your coffee is just a bit cold, don't use it. That would sound way too dramatic. Also, avoid it in very casual slang-heavy conversations with close friends. It might make you sound a bit like a textbook. Don't use it if you are just trying to be mean. It is a clinical term, not a playground insult.

French culture places a high value on *la justesse*—the idea of things being exactly right or appropriate. Being inadéquat is seen as a failure of logic or preparation. The French appreciate precision in language. Using a specific word like this shows you have analyzed the situation. It reflects the French educational emphasis on critical thinking and finding the 'right' fit for every problem.

You might hear totalement inadéquat for even more emphasis. If you want to sound a bit softer, you could say pas vraiment adapté. Another common version is tout à fait inapproprié, which focuses more on social behavior. If something is just 'not enough', people might say largement insuffisant. But réellement inadéquat remains the gold standard for describing a functional mismatch.