oh la la
The French phrase for "oh wow" is oh la la.
The expression oh la la is an informal way to express a wide variety of emotions, such as surprise, excitement or admiration. While English speakers often associate "oh la la" with flirtation or sexual innuendo, French speakers use it much more broadly to convey many different feelings.
Which one should you use?
While oh la la covers a broad spectrum of emotions like surprise or frustration, the English equivalent is often more narrowly associated with flirtation. Other informal options include Waouh! to convey amazement or astonishment, or Trop bien!, which literally means "Too good!" and is commonly used by younger speakers to express enthusiasm.
Did you know?
- The word la in oh la la is derived from the Latin word illam, which was the feminine singular accusative form of 'that'.
- The exclamation Ouh là! (dropping the second 'la') is often used by French people to signal that a situation is becoming dangerous, difficult, or problematic.
- When expressing extreme amazement, a French speaker might use Dis donc!, which is a way of saying 'Say then!', used to punctuate a sudden realization or shock.
Examples in context
- Le nouveau projet a été approuvé. C'est incroyable! Félicitations!The new project has been approved. Oh wow! Congratulations!
- J'ai gagné le concours de danse! Trop bien! Tu es vraiment doué!I won the dance competition! Oh wow! You're really talented!
- Oh la la, quelle belle robe !Oh wow, what a beautiful dress!
- Oh la la, c'est immense !Oh wow, it is huge!
- Oh la la, quel talent !Oh wow, what talent!
Example conversation
Gabriel shows Manon a piece of art he created.
- ManonTu as fait ça, Gabriel ?You made this, Gabriel?
- GabrielOui, j'ai fini ce matin.Yes, I finished it this morning.
- ManonOh la la, c'est magnifique !Oh wow, it is magnificent!
- GabrielMerci beaucoup, Manon.Thank you very much, Manon.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, oh, CC BY-SA 4.0.
