oh là là
/o la la/
The English phrase "oh my" can be translated into French as oh là là.
oh là là is an informal exclamation used to signify surprise, enthusiasm or sarcastic disappointment. Other expressions also exist for expressing astonishment, such as the informal oh la vache.
How do you pronounce it?
/o la la/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly assume that oh là là is a purely sexual or flirtatious expression. However, in French, it is a much more versatile and common exclamation used for general surprise or annoyance.
Did you know?
- The word là in this phrase is a fossilized remnant of the Latin 'illāc', which originally pointed to a specific location.
- In French culture, oh là là is often accompanied by a specific gesture, such as throwing the hands up or a slight shrug, to signal the level of frustration or surprise.
- While it may sound exotic to English ears, adding a third là to make oh là là là is a common way to heighten the level of surprise or frustration.
Examples in context
- Oh là là, c'est très cher !Oh my, that is very expensive!
- Oh là là, il commence à pleuvoir.Oh my, it is starting to rain.
- Oh là là, quel beau cadeau !Oh my, what a beautiful gift!
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are looking at a messy room.
- LucasOh là là, regarde ce désordre !Oh my, look at this mess!
- ManonC'est vrai, Lucas, c'est énorme.It's true, Lucas, it's huge.
- LucasOn doit tout ranger vite.We must clean everything up quickly.
- ManonD'accord, commençons par les livres.Okay, let's start with the books.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry oh là là, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries là, oh, CC BY-SA 4.0.
