Ever found yourself speechless in front of something truly amazing, but struggled to express that "wow" in French? While a simple "Wow!" might get the message across, the French language offers a rich tapestry of expressions to convey surprise, admiration, or astonishment. Just like in English, where you might say "amazing," "incredible," or "breathtaking," French has a variety of colorful phrases to articulate that feeling of wonder.Let's dive into 9 fantastic ways to say "wow" in French, so you can impress your friends and express your amazement like a true native speaker!

The direct English loanword – Wow!

The English exclamation “Wow!” has been directly adopted into French, maintaining its original form and meaning.

Similar to its use in English, Wow! is an interjection used to express strong surprise, admiration, amazement, or enthusiasm.

It is widely understood and used, especially among younger generations and in informal contexts. While not traditionally French, its prevalence in media has made it quite common.

French speakers generally pronounce Wow! very similarly to how it's said in English, often with a slightly more rounded 'o' sound.

💡 * Wow! C'est magnifique! (Wow! It's magnificent!)* Wow, je n'aurais jamais cru ça! (Wow, I would have never believed that!)* Elle a dit 'Wow!' quand elle a vu le cadeau. (She said 'Wow!' when she saw the gift.)* C'est une performance incroyable, wow! (It's an incredible performance, wow!)

The classic French exclamation – Oh là là!

The classic French exclamation – Oh là là!

Oh là là! is one of the most recognizable French expressions, often used to convey a wide range of emotions such as surprise, admiration, disappointment, or even mild annoyance. It's an interjection that adds emphasis to a situation or reaction.

Unlike its popular perception, Oh là là! isn't solely used for expressing shock or disapproval. Its meaning heavily depends on the context, the speaker's intonation, and facial expressions. A soft, drawn-out Oh là là... can express wonder, while a sharp, quick Oh là là! might signal exasperation.

This versatile phrase can be a substitute for 'Wow!', 'Oh dear!', 'Oh no!', 'Goodness gracious!', or even 'Look at that!' It's used when something is unexpected, impressive, problematic, or simply noteworthy, making it a truly multi-functional linguistic tool.

Imagine seeing a stunning piece of art (Oh là là, c'est magnifique!), spilling a drink (Oh là là, j'ai tout renversé!), or being impressed by someone's outfit (Oh là là, quelle élégance!). It fits into countless everyday situations.

Many non-French speakers associate Oh là là! with a dramatic, often negative, reaction, particularly in movies or media. However, in authentic French conversation, it's a much softer and more common interjection, used far more subtly than often portrayed.

Mastering Oh là là! in its various nuances is a small but significant step towards sounding more like a native French speaker. It's a linguistic chameleon that truly captures the spirit of French expressiveness.

💡 *Oh là là, quelle belle robe! (Oh la la, what a beautiful dress!)
*Oh là là, j'ai oublié mes clés! (Oh la la, I forgot my keys!)
*Oh là là, il est déjà minuit! (Oh la la, it's already midnight!)
*Oh là là, c'est trop cher! (Oh la la, that's too expensive!)
*Oh là là, tu as l'air fatigué. (Oh la la, you look tired.)

The 'incredible' – Incroyable!

The French word incroyable directly translates to “incredible” or “unbelievable” in English, and it’s a versatile term you’ll hear frequently.

You’ll commonly encounter incroyable used in two main ways: as a standalone exclamation and as a descriptive adjective.

When used as an exclamation, Incroyable! (often with an exclamation mark, as in French writing) means “Incredible!” or “Unbelievable!” It expresses strong surprise, awe, or disbelief.

As an adjective, incroyable follows the noun it modifies and must agree in number. Its singular form incroyable is used for both masculine and feminine nouns, while the plural form incroyables is used for both masculine and feminine plural nouns.

The singular form is incroyable for both masculine and feminine nouns (e.g., un film incroyable, une histoire incroyable). The plural form is incroyables for both masculine and feminine plural nouns (e.g., des films incroyables, des histoires incroyables).

Incroyable conveys a strong sense of astonishment, wonder, or extreme quality. It's used for things that are truly remarkable, either positively or negatively, depending on context.

You might hear incroyable describing a story, an event, a performance, or even a person's behavior, always indicating something extraordinary or hard to believe.

💡 * Incroyable! Je n'arrive pas à le croire. (Incredible! I can't believe it.)

• C'est une histoire incroyable. (It's an incredible story.)
• Leurs performances étaient incroyables. (Their performances were incredible.)
• Tu as un talent incroyable! (You have an incredible talent!)
• Il a fait une chose incroyable. (He did an incredible thing.)

The 'magnificent' – Magnifique!

The 'magnificent' – Magnifique! introduces a versatile and commonly used French adjective. It directly translates to "magnificent," "splendid," or "gorgeous" in English.

One of the most convenient aspects of magnifique is its invariance. Unlike many French adjectives, it remains unchanged regardless of the gender or number of the noun it describes. This means you use magnifique for masculine, feminine, singular, and plural nouns.

Magnifique expresses a strong sense of admiration or wonder. It can describe anything from a beautiful landscape or a delicious meal to a stunning performance or a wonderful idea. It's a powerful adjective to convey something exceptionally good or beautiful.

You'll often hear magnifique used in exclamations like "C'est magnifique!" (It's magnificent!) or to describe art, nature, and experiences. Its widespread use makes it a key adjective for expressing strong positive feelings in French.

💡 * C'est une vue magnifique! (It's a magnificent view!)

• Il a fait un travail magnifique. (He did a magnificent job.)
• Les fleurs sont magnifiques ce printemps. (The flowers are magnificent this spring.)
• Elle porte une robe magnifique. (She's wearing a magnificent dress.)
• Quel magnifique coucher de soleil! (What a magnificent sunset!)

The 'awesome' or 'great' – Génial!

Want to express enthusiasm or approval in French? The word génial is your go-to for saying something is “awesome,” “great,” or “brilliant.”

Génial directly translates to “awesome” or “great” and is one of the most common adjectives used to express strong positive sentiment about a person, thing, or situation.

While informal, génial is widely accepted and used in everyday conversations, among friends, family, and even in many professional settings, making it a versatile and popular choice.

As an adjective, génial has different forms: génial (masculine singular), géniale (feminine singular), géniaux (masculine plural), and géniales (feminine plural). Pay attention to the context to use the correct form, though its singular form is often used as a general exclamation.

One of its most frequent uses is as a standalone exclamation, "Génial!" (Awesome!), often paired with "C'est" to form "C'est génial!" (That's awesome!). This makes it a quick and easy way to express delight.

Whether describing a fantastic meal, a great idea, or a wonderful person, génial conveys genuine enthusiasm and positive sentiment, making it a staple in everyday French.

💡 * C'est génial, cette nouvelle ! (That's awesome news!)

• Ton idée est vraiment géniale. (Your idea is really great.)
• Les vacances étaient géniales. (The holidays were awesome.)
• Ils ont eu des résultats géniaux. (They had brilliant results.)
• "On va au concert ce soir!" "Génial !" ("We're going to the concert tonight!" "Awesome!")

The 'impressive' – Impressionnant!

The French adjective impressionnant directly translates to 'impressive' or 'imposing' in English. It's used to describe something that evokes a strong reaction, often of admiration, awe, or sometimes even fear, due to its size, quality, skill, or impact.

Impressionnant typically carries a positive connotation, highlighting something remarkable or outstanding. For example, a performance, a view, a building, or an achievement can all be described as impressionnant. However, depending on context, it can also refer to something overwhelming or even intimidating, like an 'impressive' amount of work or a 'daunting' task.

As an adjective, impressionnant must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. The feminine form is impressionnante, the plural is impressionnants, and the feminine plural is impressionnantes. For instance, 'an impressive building' is un bâtiment impressionnant, and 'impressive skills' would be des compétences impressionnantes.

The adverbial form, impressionnamment, means 'impressively'. It's used to describe how an action is performed or to what extent something is done. For example, 'He performed impressively' would be Il a joué impressionnamment.

You'll often hear impressionnant used to express genuine admiration. To intensify it, you can add adverbs like très (very) or vraiment (really). For example, C'est vraiment impressionnant ! (That's really impressive!). It's a versatile word for conveying strong positive reactions.

💡 * C'est un travail impressionnant, félicitations ! (That's impressive work, congratulations!)

• La vue depuis le sommet de la montagne est absolument impressionnante. (The view from the top of the mountain is absolutely impressive.)
• Son talent pour la musique est impressionnant. (His talent for music is impressive.)
• Ils ont fait des progrès impressionnants en peu de temps. (They made impressive progress in a short time.)
• Le nombre de participants était impressionnant. (The number of participants was impressive.)

The 'breathtaking' – Époustouflant!

To describe something as truly breathtaking, stunning, or mind-blowing in French, you'll reach for the powerful adjective époustouflant.

Époustouflant translates directly to 'breathtaking,' 'stunning,' or 'awe-inspiring.' It conveys a strong sense of wonder and admiration, implying that something is so impressive it could 'take your breath away' (from épouster, meaning to take away breath, though the verb itself is less common).

As an adjective, époustouflant must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. You will see it as époustouflant (masculine singular), époustouflante (feminine singular), époustouflants (masculine plural), and époustouflantes (feminine plural).

💡 * Le paysage depuis le sommet de la montagne était absolument époustouflant. (The landscape from the mountaintop was absolutely breathtaking.)

• Sa performance sur scène était époustouflante, le public l'a adorée. (Her performance on stage was stunning, the audience loved it.)
• Ce nouveau film a des effets spéciaux vraiment époustouflants. (This new movie has truly mind-blowing special effects.)
• Nous avons eu une vue époustouflante sur la ville depuis notre balcon. (We had a breathtaking view of the city from our balcony.)

The 'formidable' or 'wonderful' – Formidable!

When you first encounter the French word formidable, your immediate thought might be of its English cognate, meaning 'causing fear or dread.' However, in French, its meaning is wonderfully different!

In French, formidable almost exclusively means 'wonderful,' 'great,' 'fantastic,' or 'awesome.' It's a positive exclamation or adjective used to express strong approval or admiration.

You'll hear it used frequently in everyday conversation to describe people, experiences, or objects. It's a versatile adjective that can be applied to almost anything that evokes a positive, strong reaction.

It's crucial not to confuse it with the English 'formidable,' which implies something challenging, difficult, or awe-inspiring in a negative or imposing way. In French, it's a compliment!

💡 * C'est un film formidable! (It's a wonderful film!)

• Tu as fait un travail formidable. (You did a fantastic job.)
• Notre voyage était absolument formidable. (Our trip was absolutely awesome.)
• Quelle idée formidable! (What a great idea!)
• Il est formidable, ce professeur. (He's wonderful, this teacher.)

The 'crazy' or 'insane' (in a good way) – C'est dingue!

The French expression C'est dingue! is a versatile and informal way to say 'It's crazy!' or 'It's insane!' It often conveys a sense of astonishment, wonder, or excitement, rather than actual madness. Think of it as 'That's wild!' or 'That's incredible!'

The word dingue can also be used as an adjective to describe something or someone as 'crazy' in a positive, exciting, or surprising way. For example, une idée dingue (a crazy idea) or un truc dingue (a crazy/amazing thing). Interestingly, dingue is invariable, meaning it doesn't change for gender or number (e.g., des films dingues, une histoire dingue).

While dingue can imply a degree of 'craziness,' its primary use leans towards positive or astonished reactions. It's important to distinguish it from words like fou (m.) / folle (f.), which more often refer to actual madness or a negative kind of craziness. Dingue captures the 'insane in a good way' vibe.

You'll frequently hear C'est dingue de + infinitif to express 'It's crazy to...' or 'It's incredible to...' followed by an action. This construction emphasizes the surprising or unbelievable nature of the action. For instance, C'est dingue de voir ça! (It's crazy to see that!).

💡 * C'est dingue comme il fait chaud aujourd'hui ! (It's crazy how hot it is today!)

• Elle a eu une idée dingue pour notre projet. (She had a crazy idea for our project.)
• C'est dingue de penser qu'on a fini le marathon. (It's crazy to think we finished the marathon.)
• J'ai vu un film dingue hier soir. (I saw a crazy/amazing movie last night.)
• Tu es complètement dingue ! (You are completely crazy! - often used affectionately)

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to express “wow” in French. But the French language is rich with exclamations, from traditional ones to modern slang and regional variations that might surprise even native speakers!

To discover more specific or regional expressions, you can also do an online search for “comment dire wow en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might find many interesting interjections and phrases that convey surprise or admiration. As always, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you incorporate it into your vocabulary.

Pay close attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover a whole new range of expressions to convey “wow” that are commonly used by native speakers.

And if you’re looking for a comprehensive list of interjections or expressions of surprise in French, the WordReference entry for interjection or specific terms like étonnement can be an excellent starting point!

I hope you found this article helpful in expanding your French expressive vocabulary. To conclude, here’s a thought from the French writer Anatole France that resonates with the power of words: “L'étonnement est le premier pas vers la connaissance.” (Astonishment is the first step towards knowledge.)