ouais
/wɛ/
The French equivalent for the expression of happiness "yay" is ouais.
Depending on the specific context of joy, other terms may be more appropriate: Bravo! is used to applaud an achievement or performance, Génial! is used to express excitement or satisfaction with a situation or event and Youpi! is a playful and childlike expression used to express joy and excitement.
Meaning: an expression of happiness (intj)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the English expression "Yeah!" is often integrated to convey excitement informally.
How do you pronounce it?
/wɛ/
Did you know?
- The word ouais may have a historical link to the old French command 'oyez!', which was used by heralds to grab attention.
- The phrase Youpi! sounds very similar to the English 'whoopee', but it carries a much more childish, high-pitched tone that adults rarely use in serious settings.
- In many French-speaking regions, an enthusiastic 'yay' is better expressed by the interjection Ah! paired with an adjective, rather than a single exclamation.
Examples in context
- Youpi! C'est génial!Yay! That's fantastic!
Example conversation
Chloé tells Hugo that they have a day off tomorrow.
- ChloéOn n'a pas cours demain.We don't have class tomorrow.
- HugoOuais ! C'est super !Yay! That's great!
- ChloéOn peut aller au parc.We can go to the park.
- HugoBonne idée, Chloé.Good idea, Chloé.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ouais, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ouais, CC BY-SA 4.0.
