Difference between revisions of "Language/French/Vocabulary/Express-Surprise"

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===Whaou !===
===Whaou !===
*Meaning: Wow
*Meaning: Wow!
*Example: Whaou, tu as vu ce qu'il est capable de faire ?  
*Example: Whaou, tu as vu ce qu'il est capable de faire ?  
<blockquote>Wow, have you seen what he can do?</blockquote>
<blockquote>Wow, have you seen what he can do?</blockquote>
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===C'est pas possible !===
===C'est pas possible !===
*Meaning: I can't believe this!
*Meaning: I can't believe this!
The correct spelling would be: "C'''E''' '''N''''est pas possible" but French often omit the "N'/NE" in the spoken language for negative sentences.
The correct spelling would be: "C'''E''' '''N''''est pas possible" but French often omit the "N'/NE" in the spoken language for negative sentences.


===Je n'y crois pas !===
===Je n'y crois pas ! / J'y crois pas===
*Meaning: I can't believe it!
*Meaning: I can't believe it!
 
Note : "J'y crois pas" is more familiar than "Je n'y crois pas".
*Example: Je n'y crois pas, elle a osé!
*Example: Je n'y crois pas, elle a osé!
<blockquote>I can't believe this, she dared to do that!</blockquote>
<blockquote>I can't believe this, she dared to do that!</blockquote>
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===C'est magnifique !===
===C'est magnifique !===
*Meaning: Magnificent!
*Meaning: Magnificent!
*Example: Je rentre de l'exposition: C'est vraiment magnifique !
<blockquote>I come back from the exhibition: It's really beautiful!</blockquote>


===Génial !===
===Génial !===
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===Incroyable !===
===Incroyable !===
*Meaning: Amazing!
*Meaning: Amazing!
*Example: Incroyable, il l'a fait !
<blockquote>Amazing, he did it!</blockquote>


===Mon Dieu !===
===Mon Dieu !===
*Meaning: Oh my God!
*Meaning: Oh my God!
It's similar to the English locution "OH MY GOD" or "oh my gosh".
It's similar to the English locution "OH MY GOD" or "oh my gosh".
* Example: Mon dieu, ce n'est pas possible !
<blockquote>Oh my God, it's not possible!</blockquote>


===Quel malheur !===
===Quel malheur !===
*Meaning: What a disgrace!
*Meaning: What a disgrace!
*Example: Tu as vu l'article dans le journal? Quel malheur !
<blockquote>Did you see the article in the newspaper? What a disgrace!</blockquote>


===Comme c’est beau !===
===Comme c’est beau !===
*Meaning: How beautiful!
*Meaning: How beautiful! / it's beautiful
*Example: Tu as vu ce qu'ils ont fait? Commet c'est beau !
<blockquote>Did you see what they did? It's beautiful!</blockquote>


===Quel travail !===
===Quel travail !===

Revision as of 17:20, 19 April 2019

Exprimer-la-surprise-en-français.png

Dear friends,

In this lesson, you will learn how French like to express their feelings of suprise.

When something unusual happens, French have their own casual and fun expressions.

Good learning!

Popular Expressions

Oh la la !

  • Meaning: Oh my God!, Oh dear!, wow!

It is an interjection meaning surprise, admiration.

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!

Ça, alors !

  • Meaning: My goodness!, good grief!

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

  • Examples:

Ça alors ! Je n'aurais jamais imaginé 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 !

  • Meaning: I can't believe this!

The correct spelling would be: "CE N'est pas possible" but French often omit the "N'/NE" in the spoken language for negative sentences.

Je n'y crois pas ! / J'y crois pas

  • Meaning: I can't believe it!

Note : "J'y crois pas" is more familiar 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: Magnificent!
  • Example: Je rentre de l'exposition: C'est vraiment magnifique !

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

Génial !

  • Meaning: Great!

This adjective which means super, great, something which is brilliant & fantastic according to you.

Impressionnant !

  • Meaning: Awesome!
  • Example: Wahou ! C'est impressionnant, très beau travail !

Incroyable !

  • Meaning: Amazing!
  • Example: Incroyable, il l'a fait !

Amazing, 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 c’est beau !

  • Meaning: How beautiful! / it's beautiful
  • Example: Tu as vu ce qu'ils ont fait? Commet 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 a Luck!
  • Example: Quelle chance ! tu as décroché le poste

How lucky you are! You got the job

Quoi ?

  • Meaning: What?
  • Example: Quoi ? Il a fait ça?

What? He did that?

C'est pas vrai !

  • Meaning: No way!

N'importe quoi !

  • Meaning: "Nonsense!" (US) or "Rubbish!" (UK)
  • Example: Il a osé faire ça ? N'importe quoi !

He dared to do that? Nonsense!

Je n’en crois pas mes yeux !

  • Meaning: I can’t 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.

Slang Expressions

Putain !

  • Meaning: f**k!

Among young French people, "putain" is so common, it may even be used as often as the word "oui". Its nearest equivalent in English is probably “f**k!”.

It can be used to express anger, but can also be used to describe something amazing :

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

it's a f****ing artist

Merde !

  • Meaning: f**k!

It has the same meaning as "Putain !".

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

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

f**k! I can't believe this!