mon Dieu
/mɔ̃ djø/
The English phrase "oh my God" can be translated into French using mon Dieu. Wiktionary also lists nom de Dieu and nom de nom.
Meaning: excitement or shock (intj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| mon Dieu | /mɔ̃ djø/ |
| nom de Dieu | /nɔ̃ də djø/ |
| nom de nom |
The expressions are used to convey excitement or shock. Mon Dieu is frequently used as an interjection at the beginning of a sentence to express disbelief or concern.
What does it mean word for word?
mon Dieu is a literal translation of "my God".
Which one should you use?
While mon Dieu can express shock or excitement, nom de Dieu carries a stronger tone of irritation or anger.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
nom de Dieu is a more forceful, colloquial exclamation. nom de nom is another variant available for use. For more intense or vulgar expressions of surprise or frustration, speakers might use the slang term Putain! For a mild, informal expression of surprise, astonishment or frustration, you can use Oh là là!
How do you pronounce it?
/mɔ̃ djø/
Did you know?
- The variant nom de nom is a minced oath. It replaces the word Dieu with a repetition of nom to avoid taking the Lord's name in vain.
- The word Dieu shares a root with the Latin deus and the Proto-Indo-European *deywós, which is also the ancestor of words for 'sky' or 'day' in other languages.
- While English speakers use 'oh my god' for many emotions, using mon Dieu in a very high-pitched or drawn-out way can sometimes signal theatricality or mock disbelief rather than genuine shock.
Examples in context
- Tom ! Oh mon Dieu !Tom! Oh my God!This sentence shows how to use mon Dieu to express excitement.Tatoeba #6486747 by GB3, translation #2807639 by Hybrid
- OH MON DIEU, J'ADORE LE YURI !OH MY GOD, I LOVE YURI!This sentence shows an enthusiastic use of mon Dieu.Tatoeba #14031444 by Jat01, translation #14031284 by mexicanhere
- Mon Dieu, qu'allons-nous faire ?Oh my God, what will we do?This sentence demonstrates using mon Dieu to express concern or disbelief at a situation.Tatoeba #5995115 by christian63, translation #7912901 by shekitten
- Oh là là, c'est incroyable! J'en suis bouche bée!Oh my God, it's incredible! I'm speechless!
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel shows Manon a surprising news article on his phone.
- GabrielRegarde cet article, Manon !Look at this article, Manon!
- ManonMon Dieu, c'est incroyable !Oh my god, it's incredible!
- GabrielJe n'en crois pas mes yeux.I can't believe my eyes.
- ManonC'est vraiment fou.It's truly crazy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “oh my God” translations and entries mon Dieu, nom de Dieu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Dieu, de, dieu, mon, nom, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
