Practice Makes Perfect

Tiens! Le temps s’éclaircit. 

Look at that! The weather is clearing up.

Ah tiens! Voilà finalement l’autobus. 

Look at that! There is the bus finally!

 

The following interjections are used to express pain or relief:

Aïe! Ouch!  Ouïlle! Ouch!

Dieu merci! 

Thank goodness! 

Ouf! 

Phew! (as in escaping 

 

 

   

a bad situation; sign of relief)

 

The following interjections are used to express annoyance:

Zut! 

Darn! 

Zut alors! 

Darn!

Oups! 

Oops! 

Bon sang! 

Good grief!

Que diable! 

What in the dickens!

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Exclamations and commands 

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The following interjections are used to express spite, disgust, or indifference:

Bah! Nonsense! Hélas! 

Alas!

Pouah! 

Yuck! 

Bof! 

So what!

 

The following interjections are used to get somebody’s attention:

Hé! Eh! Hep! Hey! 

Coucou! 

Hi!

Allons! 

Come on! 

Attention! 

Watch out!

Vite! 

Quick!

 

The following interjections are used to express helplessness or to call for help:

Ciel!  

Heavens! 

Mon Dieu! 

My goodness!

Au secours! 

Help! 

À l’aide! 

Help!

 

The following interjections are used to express surprise, disbelief, or cynicism:

Espérons! 

Let’s hope! 

Tu parles! 

You bet!

Quoi! 

What! 

Comment! 

What!

Eh ben dis donc!  You don’t say! 

Sans blague! 

No kidding!

Tiens! 

Look at that! 

Ah tiens! 

Look at that!

Oh là là! 

Oh my!

 

The following interjections are used to express admiration, gratitude, and enthusiasm:

Chouette! 

Cool! 

Super! 

Great!

Bravo! 

Great! 

Hourra! 

Hurrah!

Pardi! 

For sure! 

Tant mieux! 

So much the better!

 

The following interjections are used to ask for quiet:

Chut! 

Hush! 

Silence! 

Quiet!

Some interjections are euphemisms, inoffensive expressions that replace those that may 

offend the listeners, or expressions that suggest something not pleasant. They are more common 

in speech.

Zut! Cet examen est difficile! 

Darn, this exam is hard!

Eh ben dis donc! Je ne l’aurais jamais cru! 

You don’t say! I would have never believed it!

Tu vas au concert? —Tu parles! 

Are you going to the concert? —You bet!

Ce poulet est atroce! Pouah! 

This chicken is awful. Yuck!

Quoi! Ils n’ont pas encore fini? 

What! They have not yet finished?

Sans blague! Tu vas faire le tour du monde?  No kidding! You are going to take a trip  

 

     

  around the world?

8·5

EXERCICE

Write the letter of the word on the right that describes the emotion expressed in the 

following sentences. There may be more than one answer, depending on how you interpret 

the message.

1.      Zut! J’ai la migraine! 

a.  indifference

2.      Oh là là! Que j’ai peur! 

b.  relief

3.      Ouf! J’ai retrouvé mes clefs! 

c.  impatience

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  practice makes perfect  Complete French All-in-One   

4.      Pouah! Ce lait est aigre! 

d.  disgust

5.      Bof! J’irai demain! 

e.  fear

6.      Aïe! Je me suis fait mal au doigt! 

f.  pain

8·6

EXERCICE

Write an interjection to respond to these statements. Remember, you need to express your 

feelings!

1.  Ta voiture a un pneu crevé.    

2.  Tu appelles police-secours pour t’aider.    

3.  L’agent de police remplace ton pneu.    

4.  Ta voiture marche mais la route est mauvaise.    

5.  Tu arrives en retard à ton rendez-vous.    

6.  Tes amis t’attendent toujours.