Language/French/Vocabulary/Express-Surprise

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đŸ‡«đŸ‡· How to Express Surprise in French đŸ˜Č
How to express Surprise in French PolyglotClub Wiki2.jpg

Bonjour French learners! In this lesson, you will learn how the French like to express their feelings of SURPRISE & astonishment. 😼

When something unusual happens, the French have their own casual and fun expressions. Enjoy your learning journey! 😊

After mastering this lesson, you can also explore other related pages such as French vocabulary tools, French clothing vocabulary, and French numbers and time vocabulary to further enhance your language skills.

Remember, you can edit this page if you think it can be improved (this is a wiki page...). Bonne chance! đŸ‡«đŸ‡·

Most common expressions[edit | edit source]

NB : these expressions always end with an exclamation mark.

Oh la la ! / Oh lĂ  lĂ  ! / Oh ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: Oh my God! / Oh dear! / Wow!

It is an interjection which expresses surprise / amazement.

Examples of use:

  • Oh la la ! il est dĂ©jĂ  20h30, je vais rater mon train !

Oh dear ! It's already 8:30 pm, I'll miss my train!

  • Oh la la ! mais qu'est-ce qui t'es arrivĂ© ?

Oh dear ! But what happened to you?

  • Oh la la ! qu'est-ce qu'il fait chaud ici !

Oh dear ! It's so hot here!

Ça alors ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: My goodness!, good grief!

This exclamation can express a whole range of reactions, from delight to surprise or indignation. 

  • Examples:

Ça alors ! Je n'aurais jamais imaginĂ© cela !

My goodness! I'd never have imagined that.

Whaou ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: Wow!
  • Example: Whaou ! Tu as vu ce qu'il est capable de faire ?

Wow, have you seen what he can do?

C'est pas possible ! / C'est pas vrai ! / C'est pas croyable ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: I can't believe it! / No way!

The standard (full) form reads: "CE N'est pas possible/vrai" but in oral discourse the "N'/NE" negation particle is often omitted.

Je n'y crois pas ! / J'y crois pas[edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: I can't believe it!

Note : "J'y crois pas" is more informal than "Je n'y crois pas".

  • Example: Je n'y crois pas, elle a osĂ©!

I can't believe this, she dared to do that!

C'est magnifique ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: Awesome!
  • Example: Je rentre de l'exposition: C'est vraiment magnifique !

I come back from the exhibition: It's really beautiful/awesome!

GĂ©nial ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: Great!

This adjective which means super, great, something which is deemed brilliant and/or fantastic.

Impressionnant ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: That's stunning/impressive!
  • Example: Wahou ! C'est impressionnant, trĂšs beau travail !

Incroyable ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: Incredible/I can't believe it!
  • Example: Incroyable, il l'a fait !

How incredible/I can't believe it, he did it!

Mon Dieu ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: Oh my God!

It's similar to the English locution "OH MY GOD" or "oh my gosh".

  • Example: Mon dieu, ce n'est pas possible !

Oh my God, it's not possible!

Quel malheur ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: What a disgrace!
  • Example: Tu as vu l'article dans le journal? Quel malheur !

Did you see the article in the newspaper? What a disgrace!

Comme c’est beau ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: How beautiful! / it's beautiful
  • Example: Tu as vu ce qu'ils ont fait? Comme c'est beau !

Did you see what they did? It's beautiful!

Quel travail ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: What work!
  • Example: Quel travail ! Il a nettoyĂ© toute la maison

Good job! He has cleaned the whole house

Quelle chance ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: What luck!
  • Example: Quelle chance ! tu as dĂ©crochĂ© le poste.

How lucky you are! You got the job.

Quoi ?[edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: What? / Say what?
  • Example: Quoi ? Il a fait ça?

What? He did that?

N'importe quoi ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: "Nonsense!" (US) / "BS" / "Rubbish!" (UK)
  • Example: Il a osĂ© faire ça ? N'importe quoi !

He dared to do that? Nonsense!

Je (n’)en crois pas mes yeux ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: I can’t believe my eyes!

Trop bien ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: Awesome!

Oh la vache ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: holy cow, Wow, Good heavens!

Use "oh la vache!", or simply "la vache!", to express surprise or admiration.

Mince alors ! / zut alors ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: Ah, heck!

Surprise with a certain degree of disappointment.

Je reste sans voix / Je reste bouche bée[edit | edit source]

  • Literally: I remain speechless

ça m'étonne / ça me surprend[edit | edit source]

  • Literally: that amazes me

Ah bon ? / Vraiment ? / Tiens ?[edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: really?

Non![edit | edit source]

  • Often followed by: "C'est pas possible !

C'est un truc de fou ! / C'est un truc de ouf ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: it's crazy!

Je (n')en reviens pas ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: I can't believe it !

Slang Expressions (warning: offensive language!)[edit | edit source]

Putain ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: fuck!

Among young French people, "putain" is a common interjection which is rarely expressed to harm someone. Its nearest equivalent in English is probably “Fuck!” / "For fuck's sake".

It is usually used as an interjection or an adjective to express anger, but it can also be used to convey surprise (positively or negatively) :

  • Example: Wahou ! c'est un putain d’artiste !

He is some fucking artist!

  • Example: Putain ! arrĂȘte tes conneries !

Cut the crap/bullshit, for fuck's sake!

Merde ![edit | edit source]

  • Meaning: shit!

It has the same meaning as "Putain !".

A combination of the two words are often used as in "Putain, merde !" or "Putain de merde".

  • Example: Putain, merde ! C'est pas possible.

Fuck! I can't believe it!

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