oh là là
/o la la/
The phrase "ooh la la" is translated into French as oh là là.
In French, oh là là is used to express being overwhelmed by a situation, which can be either a positive or a negative reaction.
Which one should you use?
While English speakers often use the phrase to imply that something is sexy or scandalous, a French speaker using oh là là is more likely expressing that they are overwhelmed by a circumstance.
How do you pronounce it?
/o la la/
Did you know?
- In French, adding more là sounds to the end, such as oh là là là là, actually intensifies the emotion. The more 'là's you add, the more surprised or shocked you are being.
- The word là in the phrase literally means 'there'. If you were to translate the expression word for word, it would sound like 'oh there there'.
- In French, oh là là can be used to gently scold a child or express disappointment, acting as a verbal sigh of frustration rather than a shout of excitement.
Examples in context
- Tu ne devineras jamais ce qui s'est passé… Oh là là!You'll never guess what happened… Oh là là!
- Oh là là, c'est magnifique !Oh la la, it is magnificent!
- Oh là là, j'ai encore oublié mes clés.Oh la la, I forgot my keys again.
- Oh là là, il fait vraiment très chaud ici.Oh la la, it is really very hot in here.
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are looking at a very expensive-looking dress in a shop window.
- ManonOh là là, regarde cette robe rouge !Oh la la, look at that red dress!
- GabrielElle est très belle, Manon.It is very beautiful, Manon.
- ManonMais elle est beaucoup trop chère.But it is much too expensive.
- GabrielC'est vrai, c'est un vrai luxe.It is true, it is a real luxury.
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.
