ha
/ha/
The French way to represent the sound of laughter is ha.
ha is used as an onomatopoeia to represent the sound of laughter. In informal digital or written communication, you might also encounter other variations like Haha or Ahaha to express laughter.
Meaning: a representation of laughter (intj)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Québécois French, the informal expression hihihi is used to denote laughter.
How do you pronounce it?
/ha/
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'lol' for almost any positive reaction, French speakers often use ptdr, which stands for pété de rire and literally means 'broke from laughter'.
- While ha represents laughter, a single, sharp ha! can function as an interjection used to accuse someone of lying or to signal a sudden discovery.
- In French digital slang, people often use MDR, which stands for mort de rire, instead of writing ha. This is the French equivalent of the English 'LOL', literally meaning 'died of laughter'.
Examples in context
- « Ha ha ! J'ai été plus rapide que toi ! » « Petit filou ! »"Ha! I was quicker than you!" "Cheeky monkey!"This example shows how ha can be used to express a playful or boastful tone.Tatoeba #12317845 by lbdx, translation #11119852 by sundown
- "Ha, ha!", dit-il en espagnol."Ha, ha!" he said in Spanish.This sentence shows the use of ha within a spoken context.Tatoeba #969237 by marcp, translation #10460625 by DJ_Saidez
- Haha… Elle n'est pas humaine. C'est un robot. Une A-n-d-r-o-ï-d-e.Ha-ha … She isn't human. She's a robot, A-n-d-r-o-i-d.This sentence demonstrates how the sound ha is used to start a laugh.Tatoeba #832788 by Scott, translation #328494 by fcbond
- Haha, c'est vraiment drôle!Haha, that's really funny!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo tells a joke to Emma.
- HugoTu sais pourquoi les oiseaux volent vers le sud ?Do you know why birds fly south?
- EmmaNon, pourquoi ?No, why?
- HugoParce qu'ils ne peuvent pas marcher !Because they can't walk!
- EmmaHa ha ! C'est très drôle, Hugo.Ha ha! That's very funny, Hugo.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ha, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
