ooh la la
The phrase ooh la la is used in Italian to express 'ooh la la'.
Did you know?
- While French speakers use ooh la la to express surprise or annoyance, an Italian using this phrase is almost always performing a character or a joke.
- The word la in this context is a phonetic imitation of French rather than the Italian feminine demonstrative pronoun 'that'.
- Because it sounds French, an Italian speaker might use it to playfully tease someone who is acting particularly 'sophisticated' or 'fancy'.
Example conversation
Sofia and Matteo are looking at a fancy new car.
- SofiaOoh la la, guarda quella macchina!Ooh la la, look at that car!
- MatteoÈ davvero elegantissima, Sofia.It really is very elegant, Sofia.
- SofiaSperiamo che non costi troppo.Let's hope it doesn't cost too much.
- MatteoSicuramente costa una fortuna, Matteo.It certainly costs a fortune, Matteo.
