Life isn't always sunshine and roses, and sometimes you need to express regret, disappointment, or deliver a piece of bad news. In French, just like in English, there isn't just one way to say "unfortunately." The language offers a variety of expressions to convey this common sentiment, each with its own nuance and appropriate context. Ready to expand your vocabulary and sound more natural when things don't go quite as planned? Let's explore 9 different ways to say "unfortunately" in French!

The standard 'unfortunately' – malheureusement

Malheureusement is the most common and standard French word for 'unfortunately'.

Breaking down malheureusement reveals its meaning: mal (bad/poorly) + heureux (happy/fortunate) + -ment (adverbial suffix). So, it literally means 'in an unhappy/unfortunate way'.

Malheureusement is an adverb and typically placed at the beginning of a sentence, or sometimes after the conjugated verb, to express regret or a negative outcome.

This versatile word can convey anything from mild disappointment to deep regret, depending on the context and tone.

You can use malheureusement in both formal and informal conversations, making it a reliable choice in almost any situation.

While malheureusement is often a direct translation of 'unfortunately', it can sometimes be replaced by phrases like dommage (what a pity/shame) or hélas (alas) for slightly different nuances, though malheureusement remains the most direct and frequent.

Placing malheureusement at the very beginning of a sentence often gives more emphasis to the unfortunate nature of what follows.

Unlike some other French words with multiple meanings, malheureusement is quite straightforward and rarely leads to ambiguity.

It's interesting to note that malheureusement is the direct opposite of heureusement (fortunately), highlighting the contrast between good and bad luck or outcomes.

💡 * Malheureusement, je ne peux pas venir. (Unfortunately, I can't come.)

Il a malheureusement raté son train. (He unfortunately missed his train.)

Nous n'avons malheureusement pas assez de temps. (Unfortunately, we don't have enough time.)

Malheureusement, la météo n'est pas bonne aujourd'hui. (Unfortunately, the weather isn't good today.)

Elle a malheureusement perdu ses clés. (She unfortunately lost her keys.)

The literary 'alas' – hélas

When you encounter the French word hélas, you're looking at the direct equivalent of the English 'alas'.

Hélas is an interjection used to express sadness, regret, disappointment, or sometimes even a touch of resignation. It carries a somewhat dramatic or melancholic tone.

While universally understood, hélas is generally considered quite formal or literary. You're more likely to find it in classic literature, poetry, or in situations where a heightened sense of lament is intended, rather than in casual conversation.

Often, hélas appears at the beginning of a sentence or phrase, setting the tone for the statement that follows. It functions as an exclamation of sorrow or regret.

In contemporary spoken French, hélas is not commonly used in everyday dialogue. However, it remains a recognized and powerful word, instantly conveying a sense of 'sadly' or 'unfortunately' with a touch of old-world charm.

While there are more common ways to express 'unfortunately' (like malheureusement), hélas specifically conveys a deeper, often resigned, sense of sorrow or regret, making it less versatile for simple misfortune.

💡 * Hélas, il est trop tard. (Alas, it is too late.)

Hélas, nous n'avons pas pu la revoir. (Alas, we couldn't see her again.)

Hélas, la guerre a tout détruit. (Alas, the war destroyed everything.)

Hélas, mes efforts ont été vains. (Alas, my efforts were in vain.)

The common 'it's a shame/pity' – c'est dommage

The common 'it's a shame/pity' – c'est dommage is an essential French phrase for expressing regret, disappointment, or a sense of misfortune.

This versatile phrase directly translates to 'it's a shame' or 'it's a pity' and is used to comment on an unfortunate situation or outcome.

Literally, c'est means 'it is,' and dommage refers to 'damage' or 'pity.' Together, they form a fixed expression that's widely understood.

You can use c'est dommage as a standalone exclamation, or followed by de + infinitive (e.g., C'est dommage de rater ça - 'It's a shame to miss that'), or even with a noun.

When expressing regret about a specific fact or situation involving a different subject, c'est dommage is almost always followed by que and the subjunctive mood (e.g., C'est dommage qu'il ne puisse pas venir - 'It's a shame that he can't come').

To intensify the feeling of regret or pity, you can add adverbs like vraiment (really) or très (very) before dommage, as in C'est vraiment dommage ('It's a real shame').

C'est dommage is a polite and common way to express empathy or disappointment in French, making it a crucial phrase for everyday conversation.

💡 * C'est dommage. (It's a shame/pity.)

C'est dommage de ne pas y aller. (It's a shame not to go there.)

C'est dommage qu'elle soit malade. (It's a shame that she is sick.)

C'est vraiment dommage que tu partes si tôt. (It's a real shame that you're leaving so early.)

Le temps, c'est dommage. (The weather, it's a shame.)

The more formal 'by misfortune' – par malheur

The phrase par malheur translates directly to "by misfortune" or "by ill luck" and serves as a more formal equivalent to "unfortunately."

It is used to introduce an undesirable or regrettable event, often implying a sense of fate or an unfortunate turn of circumstances that was beyond control.

While malheureusement is the more common and versatile adverb for "unfortunately" in everyday French, par malheur carries a slightly stronger, often more dramatic or literary connotation.

Its usage lends a more formal, sometimes even slightly archaic, tone to a sentence, making it suitable for written contexts or more serious spoken declarations.

💡 * Par malheur, le train était déjà parti quand nous sommes arrivés. (By misfortune, the train had already left when we arrived.)

Ils ont, par malheur, perdu toutes leurs économies dans cette affaire. (They, by misfortune, lost all their savings in this matter.)

Par malheur, la pluie a gâché complètement notre pique-nique. (By misfortune, the rain completely ruined our picnic.)

J'ai, par malheur, oublié mes clés à la maison ce matin. (I, by misfortune, forgot my keys at home this morning.)

The 'to my great regret' – à mon grand regret

À mon grand regret is a formal French expression used to convey deep disappointment or sorrow about a situation or an action that cannot be changed or avoided.

This phrase carries a strong sense of regret, sorrow, or sadness. It's typically used in more formal contexts or when expressing a significant personal disappointment, often when delivering bad news or declining an invitation.

The inclusion of grand (great) intensifies the regret, indicating that the speaker's disappointment is considerable or profound. It's stronger than simply à mon regret (though à mon regret is less common and often implies a milder form of regret).

You'll often hear à mon grand regret when someone has to refuse something they would have liked to do, or when they are forced to announce an unfortunate outcome. It expresses a genuine feeling of powerlessness or sadness regarding the situation.

Use à mon grand regret to emphasize genuine and significant sorrow or disappointment, particularly in situations where you must convey unwelcome news or decline an offer with sincere reluctance.

💡 * À mon grand regret, je ne pourrai pas assister à votre conférence. (To my great regret, I won't be able to attend your conference.)

C'est à mon grand regret que nous devons annuler l'événement. (It is to my great regret that we must cancel the event.)

À mon grand regret, la décision a déjà été prise. (To my great regret, the decision has already been made.)

Il a dû refuser l'offre à mon grand regret. (He had to refuse the offer to my great regret.)

The 'it is regrettable that...' – il est regrettable que

The French phrase il est regrettable que translates directly to "it is regrettable that..." or "it is unfortunate that...". It's used to express sorrow, disappointment, or regret about a particular situation or fact.

Crucially, il est regrettable que always requires the subjunctive mood in the clause that follows it. This is because the phrase expresses an opinion or an emotional reaction to a situation, rather than a certainty or a fact.

This expression is generally considered quite formal. You'll often encounter it in official communications, news reports, or when discussing serious matters. While "je regrette que..." (I regret that...) is also valid, il est regrettable que offers a more impersonal and often more emphatic tone.

The basic structure is straightforward: Il est regrettable que + subject + verb in the present subjunctive + complement. Remember to conjugate the verb correctly in the subjunctive mood.

💡 *Il est regrettable que tu ne puisses pas venir. (It is regrettable that you cannot come.)
*Il est regrettable qu'il y ait eu un tel malentendu. (It is regrettable that there was such a misunderstanding.)
*Il est regrettable que le projet ne soit pas terminé à temps. (It is regrettable that the project is not finished on time.)
*Il est regrettable que la situation se dégrade. (It is regrettable that the situation is deteriorating.)

The simple 'it's regrettable' – c'est regrettable

To express that something is regrettable or unfortunate in French, the simplest and most common phrase you can use is c'est regrettable.

Literally translating to 'it is regrettable,' this phrase is versatile and can be applied to various situations where you want to convey disappointment, sorrow, or a sense of pity about a particular event or situation.

It's an impersonal expression, meaning it doesn't refer to a specific person's regret but rather describes the situation itself as regrettable. It's often followed by que + subjunctive or an infinitive.

💡 * C'est regrettable que tu ne puisses pas nous rejoindre. (It's regrettable that you can't join us.)

C'est regrettable, mais nous devons annuler le voyage. (It's regrettable, but we have to cancel the trip.)

Il est regrettable de voir une telle injustice. (It is regrettable to see such an injustice.)

C'est très regrettable pour tout le monde impliqué. (It's very regrettable for everyone involved.)

The less common 'regrettably' – regrettablement

The adverb regrettablement translates to “regrettably” or “unfortunately” in English. It's directly derived from the verb regretter (to regret).

While grammatically correct, regrettablement is considered more formal and less frequently used in everyday spoken French compared to its more common synonym, malheureusement (unfortunately).

You will most often encounter regrettablement in written texts, official statements, or formal speeches, where it adds a stronger nuance of regret or sorrow to the unfortunate event.

Unlike a simple 'unfortunately', regrettablement often implies a deeper sense of personal or collective regret, suggesting that the outcome is truly a cause for sorrow or disappointment.

💡 * Regrettablement, les résultats n'étaient pas à la hauteur de nos attentes. (Regrettably, the results did not meet our expectations.)

La décision a été prise, regrettablement, sans consulter toutes les parties. (The decision was made, regrettably, without consulting all parties.)

Regrettablement, nous devons annuler la conférence prévue pour la semaine prochaine. (Regrettably, we must cancel the conference scheduled for next week.)

Ce monument historique est, regrettablement, en très mauvais état. (This historic monument is, regrettably, in very poor condition.)

The 'sadly' – tristement

The French word for "sadly" is tristement. It is an adverb formed from the adjective triste (sad) by adding the common suffix -ment, which is equivalent to the "-ly" in English.

Like many adverbs of manner in French, tristement typically follows the verb it modifies. In compound tenses (like the passé composé), it usually comes between the auxiliary verb and the past participle, or sometimes after the past participle for emphasis.

Tristement is used to describe an action or an event that is performed in a sad manner, or that evokes a feeling of sadness. It's a direct and unambiguous way to convey that something is done with sorrow or regret.

While tristement is a standard adverb, its usage can lean towards written or slightly more formal spoken French. In very casual conversation, one might use a more colloquial expression, but tristement is perfectly understood and appropriate in most contexts.

It's important to distinguish tristement (an adverb describing how an action is performed) from triste (an adjective describing a state or quality). Tristement focuses on the manner of the action, adding a layer of emotion to the verb.

💡 *Elle a regardé le ciel tristement. (She looked at the sky sadly.)
*Il a souri tristement en recevant la nouvelle. (He smiled sadly upon receiving the news.)
*La chanson se terminait tristement. (The song ended sadly.)
*Tristement, la fête a été annulée. (Sadly, the party was canceled.)
*Les enfants ont quitté la salle tristement. (The children left the room sadly.)

Are there other ways to say 'unfortunately' in French?

Are there other ways to say “unfortunately” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to express “unfortunately” in French. However, the French language is rich with nuances, and you might encounter other expressions, some more formal, some more colloquial, and some specific to certain regions or contexts.

To explore further, you can do an online search for “autres façons de dire malheureusement” or “synonymes de malheureusement” to find more options and their specific connotations.

When you discover new expressions for “unfortunately,” always make sure to check their precise meaning and observe how they are used in different contexts. This will help you choose the most appropriate one.

As you immerse yourself in French media — reading books, watching films, or listening to podcasts — pay close attention to how native speakers express regret or bad news. You'll naturally pick up on various ways to say it.

For a comprehensive list of synonyms and related phrases, the WordReference entry for malheureusement is an excellent starting point. You'll find a wealth of information there.

I hope this article has broadened your understanding of how to express “unfortunately” in French. Remember, language learning is a journey of continuous discovery! As the French proverb says: À quelque chose malheur est bon. (Every cloud has a silver lining, or, there's good in every misfortune.)

9 ways to say "unfortunately" in French