aïe
/aj/
The English phrase 'ouch' is expressed in French as aïe. Wiktionary also lists ouille.
Meaning: expression of one’s own physical pain (intj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| aïe | /aj/ |
| ouille | /uj/ |
Both aïe and ouille are used to express one's own physical pain.
Which one should you use?
aïe is the standard and most common way to express a sudden sharp pain. In contrast, ouille is a more playful or colloquial variation that is often used to soften the impact of the exclamation.
How do you pronounce it?
/aj/
Did you know?
- French speakers often use aïe aïe aïe in a repetitive way to express exasperation or to signal that someone is making a mistake, moving away from the literal meaning of pain.
- The spelling of aïe includes a tréma over the 'i', which tells you to pronounce the 'a' and the 'i' as two distinct vowel sounds rather than a single diphthong.
- In some French-speaking regions, particularly in parts of Africa, you might hear different rhythmic exclamations for pain that do not follow the standard European French aïe.
Examples in context
- Aïe ! Ma dent !Ouch! My tooth!This example shows how to use aïe to react to a toothache.Tatoeba #1188873 by sacredceltic, translation #2318174 by Gulliver
- Aïe ! je me suis piqué !Ouch! I've pricked myself!This example shows how to use aïe after pricking oneself.Tatoeba #1485945 by martin9, translation #2889355 by AlanF_US
- Aïe ! Je me suis mordu la langue.Ouch! I bit my tongue.This example shows how to use aïe after biting one's tongue.Tatoeba #11153335 by lbdx, translation #3844689 by Youmu970
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan accidentally drops a heavy book on his foot.
- NathanAïe ! Mon pied !Ouch! My foot!
- ManonQu'est-ce qui se passe, Nathan ?What is happening, Nathan?
- NathanLe livre est tombé sur mes orteils.The book fell on my toes.
- ManonOh non, ça doit faire mal.Oh no, that must hurt.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ouch” translations and entries aïe, ouille, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
