Idiom Translator

How do you say “It's not rocket science” in French?

The closest natural French equivalent is ce n'est pas sorcier, which literally means “it's not sorcery”. English speakers use it's not rocket science to mean that something is not difficult to understand or do. A close everyday match. It can reassure someone or sound impatient. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.

Closest natural French

ce n'est pas sorcier

/sə nɛ pa sɔʁsje/

Literal meaning
“it's not sorcery”
Register
informal
How often it's used
common
Equivalence

Near-exact equivalent

96 out of 100

What a native French speaker would actually say

French compares the task with magic instead of rocket science. “Ce n'est pas sorcier” fits ordinary jobs such as changing a setting or following a recipe.

“Ce n'est pas la mer à boire” focuses more on the amount of effort. A task can be simple to understand but still take a long time.

How close is the meaning?

  • Meaning5 out of 5
  • Tone5 out of 5
  • Context5 out of 5
  • Literal similarity2 out of 5

These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.

What are other ways to say it in French?

  • ce n'est pas compliqué

    Literally: “it is not complicated”

    A plain and broadly useful equivalent.

  • ce n'est pas la mer à boire

    Literally: “it is not the sea to drink”

    Emphasises that the effort demanded is manageable rather than technical simplicity.

In context

  • English

    Just follow the instructions; it's not rocket science.

    French

    Il suffit de suivre les instructions ; ce n'est pas sorcier.

  • English

    Don't worry, changing the settings isn't rocket science.

    French

    Ne t'inquiète pas, modifier les paramètres, ce n'est pas compliqué.

Related expressions

Last updated 2026-09-16