à Dieu ne plaise
/a djø nə plɛz/
The English phrase "God forbid" can be translated into French using à Dieu ne plaise or Dieu nous en préserve.
Meaning: don't let it be (intj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| à Dieu ne plaise | /a djø nə plɛz/ |
| Dieu nous en préserve |
These phrases are used to express the hope that an undesirable or frightening hypothetical event does not occur. Dieu nous en préserve is a common way to react to a negative possibility.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase à Dieu ne plaise literally translates to "to God let it not please", while Dieu nous en préserve literally means "God preserve us from it".
Which one should you use?
While both express the same sentiment, à Dieu ne plaise is a more formal, literary or old-fashioned way to say "God forbid" compared to Dieu nous en préserve.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase Dieu nous en préserve uses the subjunctive mood to express a wish or prayer.
How do you pronounce it?
/a djø nə plɛz/
Did you know?
- The word Dieu shares an ancient Indo-European root with the concept of 'shining' or 'the sky', linking the deity to celestial brightness.
- The use of je in place of nous was once considered a mark of the peasantry and was frequently mocked in 17th-century plays by Molière.
- If you were using a regional dialect from areas like Normandy or Champagne, you might hear someone say Dieu me en préserve instead of Dieu nous en préserve to mean 'God preserve me from it'.
Examples in context
- Dieu nous en préserve.God forbid.The sentence is useful for expressing "God forbid" using the form Dieu nous en préserve.Tatoeba #10105927 by Micsmithel, translation #10047902 by ddnktr
- Dieu nous en préserve !God forbid!Tatoeba #7704095 by Micsmithel, translation #1184270 by Imp
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are discussing a potential car accident.
- ChloéImagine si on perdait le contrôle ici.Imagine if we lost control here.
- NathanÀ Dieu ne plaise ! Ne dis pas ça.God forbid! Don't say that.
- ChloéTu as raison, je m'excuse.You're right, I apologize.
- NathanRestons prudents sur la route, Chloé.Let's stay cautious on the road, Chloé.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “God forbid” translations and entries à Dieu ne plaise, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Dieu, dieu, en, ne, nous, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
