Language/French/Vocabulary/Express-Surprise

Bonjour à toutes et à tous,

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 ! / Oh là là !

• 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!

Ça alors !

• 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 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 ! / C'est pas vrai !

• 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!

Génial !

• 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, très 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 c’est 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 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 (warning: offensive language below)

Putain !

• Meaning: fuck!

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!

He is some fucking artist!

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!