dommage
/dɔ.maʒ/
The English phrase "bummer" can be expressed in French as dommage.
dommage is used to express that something is a disappointment, a pity or a shame. While you can use dommage as a one-word response, you can also say C'est dommage to express that a specific situation is a disappointment.
Meaning: a disappointment, a pity, a shame (noun)
Which one should you use?
Unlike the English "bummer", which is a slang noun, the French dommage is a standard noun that is frequently used as an interjection and is not considered slang.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can turn the noun into an exclamation by adding Quel before it, resulting in Quel dommage, which means "What a shame" or "What a bummer".
How do you pronounce it?
The word consists of two syllables and is pronounced /dɔ.maʒ/.
Did you know?
- While dommage is the standard way to say 'a pity', French speakers often use the word dommage in legal contexts to refer to actual damages or compensation for a loss.
- The word dommage shares a surprising ancestry with the English word 'damage', despite the French version often meaning a simple 'pity' or 'shame'.
- In French, you can use the phrase dommage pour toi to tell someone 'too bad for you'. This is often used more pointedly than the English 'bummer' to suggest a deserved misfortune.
Examples in context
- « Je ne peux pas aller danser avec toi. » « Dommage. »"I can't go dancing with you." "Bummer."This example shows how dommage can be used as a one-word response to express disappointment.Tatoeba #9936542 by lbdx, translation #3645303 by thegui
- C'est dommage!Pierre had been looking forward to attending the conference, but it was canceled at the last minute. He exclaimed, "C'est dommage!" to express his disappointment.
- C'est nulSophie's friends invited her to a party, but unfortunately, she couldn't attend. She sighed and said, "C'est nul," regretting that she couldn't go.
- C'est vraiment dommage pour ton examen.It's really a shame about your exam.
- Quel dommage que la fête soit annulée.What a bummer that the party is cancelled.
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are talking about a concert.
- LucasLes billets sont déjà tous vendus.The tickets are already all sold out.
- ManonOh non, c'est vraiment dommage !Oh no, that's such a bummer!
- LucasOn peut essayer de trouver des places.We can try to find some seats.
- ManonOui, s'il te plaît, Lucas.Yes, please, Lucas.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry dommage, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dommage, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
