ah bon
/a bɔ̃/
The English phrase "oh good" can be translated into French as ah bon.
The expression is used to signal surprise or interest when someone shares new information with you.
Which one should you use?
The expression Oh super can also be used to mean "oh good".
How do you pronounce it?
/a bɔ̃/
Did you know?
- Depending on your tone of voice, ah bon can actually signal skepticism or disbelief rather than genuine interest. If said with a falling intonation, it can function as a way of saying 'is that so?' or 'I don't believe you'.
- The word bon is a linguistic relative of the English word 'bonus', as both derive from the Latin 'bonus'.
- In many French-speaking regions, repeating the phrase as Ah bon, ah bon can be used as a verbal 'nod' to show you are following a story without interrupting the speaker.
Example conversation
Chloé and Lucas are talking about a movie.
- ChloéCe film est basé sur une histoire vraie.This movie is based on a true story.
- LucasAh bon ? Je croyais que c'était une fiction.Oh really? I thought it was fiction.
- ChloéNon, c'est tout à fait vrai.No, it is completely true.
- LucasC'est incroyable, Lucas !That's incredible, Lucas!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ah bon, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ah, bon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
