Difference between revisions of "Language/French/Vocabulary/Express-Surprise"
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Bonjour Ă toutes et Ă tous, | Bonjour Ă toutes et Ă tous, | ||
In this lesson, you will learn how French like to express their '''feelings of suprise'''. đČđłđČ !!! | In this lesson, you will learn how French like to express their '''feelings of suprise'''. đČđłđČ !!! | ||
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When something unusual happens, French have their own casual and fun expressions. | When something unusual happens, French have their own casual and fun expressions. | ||
Enjoy your learning journey! đ | |||
==Most common expressions == | ==Most common expressions == |
Revision as of 10:44, 13 December 2020
Bonjour Ă toutes et Ă tous,
In this lesson, you will learn how French like to express their feelings of suprise. đČđłđČ !!!
When something unusual happens, French have their own casual and fun expressions.
Enjoy your learning journey! đ
Most common expressions
Oh la la ! / Oh lĂ lĂ ! / Oh !
- Meaning: Oh my God! / Oh dear! / Wow!
It is an interjection which expresses surprise / amazement.
Examples of use:
- Oh la la ! il est déjà 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 arrivé ?
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!
Ăa alors !
- Meaning: My goodness!, good grief!
This exclamation can express a whole range of reactions, from delight to surprise or indignation.
- Examples:
Ăa alors ! Je n'aurais jamais imaginĂ© cela !
My goodness! I'd never have imagined that.
Whaou !
- 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 !
- 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
- 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 osé!
I can't believe this, she dared to do that!
C'est magnifique !
- 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 !
- Meaning: Great!
This adjective which means super, great, something which is deemed brilliant and/or fantastic.
Impressionnant !
- Meaning: That's stunning/impressive!
- Example: Wahou ! C'est impressionnant, trĂšs beau travail !
Incroyable !
- 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 !
- 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 !
- 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 câest beau !
- 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 !
- Meaning: What work!
- Example: Quel travail ! Il a nettoyé toute la maison
What work! He has cleaned the whole house
Quelle chance !
- Meaning: What luck!
- Example: Quelle chance ! tu as décroché le poste.
How lucky you are! You got the job.
Quoi ?
- Meaning: What? / Say what?
- Example: Quoi ? Il a fait ça?
What? He did that?
N'importe quoi !
- Meaning: "Nonsense!" (US) / "BS" / "Rubbish!" (UK)
- Example: Il a osé faire ça ? N'importe quoi !
He dared to do that? Nonsense!
Je nâen crois pas mes yeux ! / J'en crois pas mes yeux !
- Meaning: I canât believe my eyes!
Trop bien !
- Meaning: Awesome!
Oh la vache !
- Meaning: holy cow, Wow, Good heavens!
Use "oh la vache!", or simply "la vache!", to express surprise or admiration.
Mince alors ! / zut alors !
- Meaning: Ah, heck!
Surprise with a certain degree of disappointment.
Je reste sans voix / Je reste bouche bée
- Litteraly: I remain speechless
ça m'étonne / ça me surprend
- Litteraly: that amazes me
Ah bon ? / Vraiment ? / Tiens ?
- Meaning: really?
Non!
- often followed by: "C'est pas possible !"
C'est un truc de fou ! / C'est un truc de ouf !
- Meaning: it's crasy!
Je n'en reviens pas / J'en reviens pas
- Meaning: I can't believe it !
Slang Expressions (warning: offensive language!)
Putain !
- 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 âFuck!â / "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 dâartiste !
He is some fucking artist!
- Example: Putain ! arrĂȘte tes conneries !
Cut the crap/bullshit, for fuck's sake!
Merde !
- 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!
Videos
Watch these videos to review some of the expressions listed in the lesson: