How to Use and Pronounce “Oh Là Là”

Is there a phrase more quintessentially French than oh là là ? I would say no, there isn’t.

So to truly understand French, you need to learn what this phrase means, how to use it and how to pronounce it correctly.

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What Does Oh Là Là Mean?

It’s similar to “wow,” “cool” or “oh my” in English. But it’s also a way to express annoyance and disappointment. 

Here’s an example of “oh là là” in context:

How Do You Pronounce Oh Là Là?

Click here to have a listen: oh là là , then we’ll break it down further.

Let’s start with the “oh.”

It’s pronounced like eau (water) in French. It’s generally not pronounced “ooh,” or even “eww,” as in, “Eww! 

The là là part of the expression sounds somewhat similar to “la la” in English—although the tip of your tongue needs to stay close to your soft palate when you say “ah.”

The stress usually goes on the “oh,” with “là là” following—sometimes rapidly and rhythmically, but sometimes lingering on the second “là” for emphasis.

Hearing native speakers pronounce the expression is truly the best way to grasp the proper pronunciation.

Ways to Use Oh Là Là

1. To Express Disbelief

Whoa!

Feeling stunned by something you can’t explain? Like Vizzini in “The Princess Bride,” maybe life has handed you an inconceivable situation.

When you just can’t believe what’s happening, oh là là can express your incredulity.

Examples:

Il n’est pas tombé? Oh là là! (He didn’t fall? Wow, incredible!)

Il n’était mort qu’une plupart? Miracle Max l’a sauvé? Oh là là. (He was only mostly dead? Miracle Max saved him? Holy cow!)

L’homme avait six doigts sur un main? Oh là là! (The man had six fingers on one hand? Unbelievable!)

2. To Show Surprised Delight

Some people hate surprises. But not all of them are bad.

Sometimes, when you least expect it, something truly wonderful happens. Let oh là là carry the dulcet tones of your delight.

Examples:

Mireille, tu m’as acheté une tarte aux fruits? Oh là là! (Mireille, you bought me a fruit tart? Oh, my goodness!)

La tarte vient de ma pâtisserie préférée? Oh là là! (The tart is from my favorite pastry shop? Wow, that’s great!)

Et tu m’as aussi acheté un pain au chocolat? Oh là là là là là là! (You also bought me a pain au chocolat? Oh, my goodness gracious, I love my life!)

3. To Show Annoyance

What comes up must eventually come down, though. When your mood takes a swing from delighted to irritated, oh là là will still be there for you.

Said in an aggravated tone, oh là là can be the perfect way to announce your annoyance.

Examples:

Tu insistes à citer erronément “Princess Bride,” mon film préféré. Oh là là? (You insist on misquoting “The Princess Bride,” my favorite film. Are you kidding me?)

Tout le monde sait qu’il a dit “inconcevable” dans ce film! Oh là là là là! (The whole world knows he said “inconceivable” in this film! How could you possibly not know that?)

Oh là là! Vizzini n’avait jamais dit “peu plausible.” (Seriously? Vizzini never said “implausible.”)

4. To Show Regret

Regret is when we’re annoyed with ourselves for what we’ve failed to do. In difficult times, when you’d love to do life over but realize that you can’t, oh là là will provide some emotional soulagement (relief).

Examples:

Oh là là. J’aurais aimé ne jamais prêter ma copie du film “Princess Bride” à Wallace. (Oh, man. I wish I had never lent my copy of the film “The Princess Bride” to Wallace.)

Oh là là. J’avais espéré qu’il l’aurait aimé autant que moi. (Oh, dear. I’d hoped he’d have loved it as much as I do.)

J’étais si déçue par sa réaction que j’ai mangé une tarte aux fruits et un pain au chocolat de la même séance. Oh là là, j’ai mal au ventre! (I was so upset by his reaction that I ate a fruit tart and also a pain au chocolat in the same sitting. Ugh! What was I thinking? I have a stomach ache.)

5. To Express Disappointment

Oh là là, la déception (disappointment).

When your false hopes deceive you, you know what être déçu (to be disappointed) truly means. And our sympathetic friend, oh là là, can help you express its heartfelt depths.

Examples:

Oh là là, je ne pouvais pas trouver “Princess Bride” en disque Blu-Ray. (Dagnabbit, I couldn’t find “The Princess Bride” in Blu-Ray.)

Je ne vais pas voir Les Falaises de la folie en haute définition. Oh là là, je l’avais attendu avec impatience! (I’m not going to see the Cliffs of Insanity in high definition. Geez Louise, I’d been looking forward to that!)

Mes espoirs ont été déçus. Oh là là là là, que je suis tellement déçue! (My hopes have been dashed. Oh my goodness, I’m so disappointed!)

6. To Show Solidarity

You’re a good listener, which is why your friends will occasionally tell you tales of woe.

Since you’re a sympathetic person, you’ll understand the hardships they’re going through. Show your solidarity with a caring, supportive oh là là.

Examples:

Tu as échoué au cours de cuisine française après six mois d’études? Oh là là. (You failed your French cooking class after six months of study? How awful!)

Ton soufflé au fromage, qui était ton examen final, était tombé juste devant les yeux du professeur? Oh là là! (Your cheese soufflé, which was your final exam, fell right in front of your instructor’s eyes? That’s just terrible!)

Et maintenant, tu dois rendre ta toque ? Oh là là. (And now, you have to turn in your chef’s hat? I’m so sorry.)

Oh Là Là in English Language Pop Culture

Oh là là is one of the most classically French expressions. But, like many French words, it doesn’t always survive the journey into English usage unscathed.

It’s hard to say exactly when or how this expression went off the rails. In 1953, Cole Porter used the “ooh la la” variant in “C’est Magnifique,” written for a musical set in a Montmartre dance hall.

In 1957, teen pop idol Frankie Avalon released a song called “Ooh La La,” in which he uses the phrase to praise the excitement of kissing.

A string of other songs entitled “Ooh La La” has followed over the decades since—many of them reinforcing the misapprehension of the term.

In 2012, Britney Spears flirtatiously brought the English-language version of the expression to the Smurf Village, enticing an eligible blue denizen to overcome shyness and be her “Ooh La La.”

Madison Avenue didn’t help matters.

Back in the 1980s, American jeans brand Sasson appropriated the expression for a series of television commercials, stylizing it as “oo la la!” and embracing the suggestive connotation it now holds for many.

These television commercials, along with the company that spawned them, are long since a memory. Nonetheless, their effect persists.

The misinterpreted expression still gets used in English, where it now seems to be a permanent part of pop culture.

Many English speakers hear the expression; few hear it pronounced correctly. Even fewer know how to use it as it’s actually used by French speakers.

Despite its reputation as a racy, sexy expression, oh là là doesn’t have a risqué, lascivious or sexual connotation in French.

Oh là là can be used for strong emotions, like disappointment or delight, but it’s not used to express lust.

I hope you enjoyed your visit to Oh Là Là Land!

Once you realize how well you can express yourself here, I think you’ll want to come back again and again.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

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