mince
/mɛ̃s/
In French, the phrase 'gosh' can be translated as mince.
mince is an informal, mild exclamation used to express surprise, annoyance or to react to a minor mistake, similar to saying 'oh shoot' or 'darn' in English. It is frequently used as a euphemism when a speaker wants to avoid using a swear word in social situations.
Meaning: mild expression of surprise or enthusiasm (intj)
Which one should you use?
While mince is a polite way to express frustration, the word merde is the much more vulgar and stronger equivalent.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
mince is an informal term. In contrast, other expressions like Oh là là! can convey surprise, shock or admiration, while Eh ben! is a colloquial expression used to express surprise or disbelief.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Occitanie region, particularly in Marseille, the local variation Boudiou! is used to mean 'My God!' or 'Oh my gosh!'
How do you pronounce it?
/mɛ̃s/
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Mince, j'ai oublié mes clés !Gosh, I forgot my keys!
- Mince, c'est vraiment incroyable.Gosh, that is truly incredible.
- Oh mince, il est déjà tard.Oh gosh, it is already late.
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are looking at a very expensive cake in a bakery.
- LéaMince, regarde ce gâteau, Gabriel !Gosh, look at that cake, Gabriel!
- GabrielIl a l'air délicieux, Léa.It looks delicious, Léa.
- LéaMais le prix est incroyable.But the price is incredible.
- GabrielC'est vrai, c'est beaucoup trop cher.That's true, it is far too expensive.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry mince, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
