Dieu merci
/djø mɛʁ.si/
The English phrase 'thank goodness' is translated into French as Dieu merci. Wiktionary also lists Dieu soit loué.
Meaning: express gratitude (intj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| Dieu merci | /djø mɛʁ.si/ |
| Dieu soit loué | /djø swa lwe/ |
Dieu merci is used as an interjection to express relief, much like the English 'thank goodness' or 'thank God'.
Which one should you use?
Dieu soit loué is a more formal, religious alternative to Dieu merci that translates to 'God be praised'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Dieu merci is an invariable adverbial phrase and does not change based on the gender or number of the subject it refers to.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of Dieu merci is /djø mɛʁ.si/ and it has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The term merci is actually a relative of the English word 'mercenary', as both stem from the Latin concept of 'payment' or 'reward'.
- In modern casual speech, French speakers often replace Dieu merci with ouf, an onomatopoeia representing the sound of a breath of relief.
- Using Dieu soit loué in a casual setting can sound overly dramatic or theatrical to a native speaker, similar to saying 'Hallelujah' in a grocery store.
Examples in context
- Heureusement, j'ai réussi à obtenir une place dans cette formation.Thank goodness, I managed to secure a spot in this training.
- Dieu merci, personne n'a été blessé dans l'accident.Thank goodness, no one was injured in the accident.
- Son équipe a remporté le match, heureusement.Thank goodness his team won the match.
- Dieu merci, l'avion n'a pas été retardé.Thank goodness the plane wasn't delayed.
- Dieu merci, tu es arrivé à l'heure.Thank goodness, you arrived on time.
- Dieu merci, il n'y a pas de blessés.Thank goodness, there are no injuries.
- Dieu merci, le soleil est de retour.Thank goodness, the sun is back.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are relieved after finding a lost set of keys.
- LéaDieu merci, j'ai retrouvé mes clés !Thank goodness, I found my keys!
- NathanTu m'as fait peur, Léa.You scared me, Léa.
- LéaJe les avais dans mon sac.I had them in my bag.
- NathanC'est un soulagement.That is a relief.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank goodness” 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.
