tant pis
/tɑ̃ pi/
To say oh well in French, use tant pis. It expresses mild disappointment or resignation. If unsure, use tant pis. Wiktionary also lists bah and pas grave.
Meaning: ''expression of mild disappointment or resignation'' (intj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| tant pis | /tɑ̃ pi/ |
| bah | /ba/ |
| pas grave | |
| dommage | /dɔ.maʒ/ |
tant pis is common when a plan changes or a chance is missed and you simply accept it.
What does it mean word for word?
tant pis literally means so much the worse.
Which one should you use?
dommage expresses more genuine regret, closer to too bad or a pity. pas grave means it's no big deal. bah is a casual interjection that signals a shrug. Que voulez-vous is a formal way to say what can you do.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bah is informal.
How do you pronounce it?
tant pis is pronounced /tɑ̃ pi/.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Oh, c'est pas grave.Oh well.c'est pas grave is a relaxed way to say it doesn't matter.Tatoeba #10015043 by Micsmithel, translation #829615 by sacredceltic
- « Tes chaussettes sont à l'envers. » « Tant pis. C'est pas grave. »"Your socks are on inside out." "Oh well. Never mind."Tant pis answers the remark about inside out socks.Tatoeba #11318778 by Micsmithel, translation #9494163 by sundown
- Tant pis !Oh well!On its own, Tant pis ! is a complete reply.Tatoeba #12562491 by LdjuherTaqvaylit, translation #13815845 by tieguy
- Tu n'as pas pu venir à la fête ? Bah, on s'est bien amusés sans toi !You couldn't come to the party? Oh well, we had fun without you!
- J'ai échoué mon test, bof, je n'ai pas vraiment révisé.I failed my test, oh well, I didn't really study.
Example conversation
Hugo and Chloé are looking at a shop window.
- HugoLe sac est trop cher.The bag is too expensive.
- ChloéTant pis, on attendra les soldes.Oh well, we will wait for the sales.
- HugoTu as raison.You are right.
- ChloéOn peut aller se promener.We can go for a walk.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “oh well” translations and entries tant pis, bah, dommage, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bah, dommage, grave, pas, pis, tant, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
