Dieu merci
/djø mɛʁ.si/
In French, "thank God" is expressed as Dieu merci. If unsure, use Dieu merci. Wiktionary also lists Dieu soit loué.
Meaning: exclamation of gratitude or relief (intj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| Dieu merci | /djø mɛʁ.si/ |
| Dieu soit loué | /djø swa lwe/ |
Dieu merci is frequently used as an interjection at the beginning of a sentence to express relief about a situation.
Which one should you use?
While Dieu merci is a common exclamation of relief, Dieu soit loué is more formal and carries a stronger religious connotation of praise.
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike the English "thank God" which uses a verb, the French Dieu merci functions as an adverbial phrase and does not change its form based on the subject of the sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of Dieu merci is /djø mɛʁ.si/.
Did you know?
- The word Dieu is a cognate of the Latin word deus, which shares an ancient root with the English word 'day' via the Proto-Indo-European term for the bright sky.
- French has a distinct way of expressing relief through the phrase Ouf !, which is often paired with Dieu merci to emphasize a physical release of tension.
- The phrase Dieu merci is an elliptical expression, meaning it is a shortened version of a longer sentence that has lost its verb over centuries of use.
Examples in context
- Dieu merci, ma sœur.Thank God, sister.This sentence shows the use of Dieu merci when addressing a sister.Tatoeba #13617969 by Rovo, translation #12888819 by rul
- Dieu merci, c'est fini !Thank God it's over.This sentence illustrates using Dieu merci to express relief that something is finished.Tatoeba #1902629 by sacredceltic, translation #1894184 by Spamster
- Dieu merci, tu es en vie.Thank God you're alive.This sentence demonstrates how to use Dieu merci to express relief about someone being alive.Tatoeba #11779299 by lbdx, translation #11777774 by ddnktr
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are relieved to find their lost keys in the car.
- HugoDieu merci, elles sont là !Thank God, they are here!
- LéaJ'ai eu tellement peur de les perdre.I was so afraid of losing them.
- HugoDieu merci, on peut partir maintenant.Thank God, we can leave now.
- LéaOui, vite, avant qu'il ne pleuve.Yes, quickly, before it rains.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank God” translations and entries Dieu merci, Dieu soit loué, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Dieu, Dieu soit loué, dieu, merci, soit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
