Learn how to express exclamations in French

Key takeaways

• French exclamations are short, powerful expressions of emotions like joy, surprise, anger, or excitement.
• They often begin with que, comme, quel, or simply a single word (zut !).
• They help you sound more natural and expressive in conversations.
• Common exclamations include Oh là là !, Zut !, Quelle surprise !, C’est génial !
• Practice exclamations in context to capture real emotions.

What Are Exclamations in French?

Exclamations are phrases or single words that show strong emotions — happiness, shock, anger, excitement, or frustration. In English, we say “Wow!” or “Oh no!” French has its own colorful set of expressions.

For a breakdown of grammar-based exclamations (quel, comme, que), see the guide on how to express exclamations in French. For idiomatic, everyday expressions, French exclamations on FluentU gives examples used by native speakers.

Types of French Exclamations

Exclamations of Surprise or Shock

• Quelle surprise ! → What a surprise!
• Oh là là ! → Oh my! / Wow!
• Incroyable ! → Unbelievable!
• C’est pas vrai ! → It can’t be true!

Exclamations of Joy and Excitement

• C’est génial ! → That’s awesome!
• Super ! → Great!
• Trop bien ! → So good!
• Youpi ! → Yay!

Exclamations of Frustration or Anger

• Zut ! → Darn!
• Mince ! → Shoot!
• Oh non ! → Oh no!
• Ça suffit ! → That’s enough!

Exclamations of Admiration

• Quel beau paysage ! → What a beautiful landscape!
• Comme c’est joli ! → How pretty it is!
• Que c’est intéressant ! → How interesting it is!

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Grammar-Based Exclamatory Structures

1. Using “Quel/Quelle/Quels/Quelles” + noun 

• Quelle idée ! → What an idea!
• Quels beaux cadeaux ! → What beautiful gifts!

2. Using “Comme” or “Que” + clause 

• Comme il fait chaud ! → How hot it is!
• Que tu es drôle ! → How funny you are!

3. Using “C’est … !” 

• C’est incroyable ! → That’s incredible!
• C’est dommage ! → That’s a pity!

French vs English Exclamations

Common French Exclamations List

• Oh là là ! – Wow! / Oh dear!
• Zut ! – Darn!
• Mince ! – Shoot!
• Chouette ! – Great!
• Youpi ! – Yay!
• C’est dingue ! – That’s crazy!
• Quel dommage ! – What a shame!
• C’est parti ! – Let’s go!

Examples of Exclamations in Sentences

• Oh là là, comme tu as grandi ! → Wow, how you’ve grown!
• Zut, j’ai oublié mes clés ! → Darn, I forgot my keys!
• Quelle belle maison ! → What a beautiful house!
• C’est génial de te revoir ! → It’s awesome to see you again!

Exercises: Practice French Exclamations

1. Fill in the blanks

• ________ surprise ! (What a surprise!)
• ________ c’est triste ! (How sad it is!)
• ________ dommage ! (What a shame!)

2. Translate into French

• Wow, that’s beautiful!
• Oh no, I lost my phone!
• That’s awesome!

3. Create your own

Make three sentences using quel, comme, or c’est.

Answers

1. Quelle | Comme | Quel
2. Oh là là, c’est beau ! | Oh non, j’ai perdu mon téléphone ! | C’est génial !

Tips for Mastering French Exclamations

• Learn short exclamations (zut, mince, super, génial) for everyday use.
• Practice grammar-based forms with quel, comme, que.
• Pay attention to intonation — the way you say it matters as much as the words.
• Use exclamations to sound more natural and expressive in conversation.

To connect with more structures, check our French verb tenses overview. For smart learning methods, see learning French effectively. And to know your learning timeline, read how long it takes to learn French fluently.

Summary

French exclamations bring emotion and authenticity to your speech. They can express joy (Youpi !), frustration (Zut !), surprise (Oh là là !), or admiration (Quelle belle idée !).

By studying both grammar-based forms and everyday idiomatic ones, you’ll sound more natural. Resources like how to express exclamations in French and French exclamations give additional examples. With practice, using quel, comme, c’est and short exclamations will become second nature while you learn French with Promova.