Meaning & use
French oui
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Meanings
phrasefixed phraseinformalhumorous
An informal way of saying yes that people jokingly treat as typical of French speakers.
Grammar: Used as a whole unit, usually on its own or after a verb such as say or give.
Patterns
- say French oui
- give a French oui
- a French oui to something
When the waiter offered more bread, she gave a cheerful French oui.
He answered every question with a French oui, even the ones he did not understand.
phrasefixed phraseinformalhumorous
A joking label for a yes that sounds overly polite, romantic, or stereotypically French.
Grammar: Often used after an or the, as a countable phrase: a French oui, the French oui.
Patterns
- a French oui
- the French oui
His acceptance email was basically a French oui, full of exclamation marks.
She said it was a French oui, meaning a soft yes rather than a firm promise.
Common combinations
- say French oui
- The actor learned to say French oui for the comedy sketch.
- give a French oui
- He gave a French oui and everyone laughed.
- a firm French oui
- Her reply was a firm French oui, not a maybe.
- with a French oui
- The scene ends with a French oui from the heroine.
Synonyms and how they differ
- yes
- This is the ordinary English word; use it in normal situations, not the joking French phrase.
- oui
- This is the real French word for yes; English speakers use it only when actually speaking French or imitating it.
- yep
- This is a casual English yes and carries no French connection at all.
Opposites
Word family
- French adjective
- Relating to France, its people, or its language.
- Frenchman noun
- A man from France.
- Frenchwoman noun
- A woman from France.
Commonly confused: French oui or oui? French oui or français?
French oui vs oui
Oui is the genuine French word for yes. French oui is an English joking phrase that treats it as a stereotype, so do not use it in real French conversation.
French oui vs français
Français means French in French, referring to the language or a French person. It is not the same as the humorous English phrase French oui.
Practice
Which sentence uses "French oui" most naturally?
Choose one answer.
"French oui" is a fixed informal phrase, so "a French oui" fits. Option 1 changes oui to yes and loses the phrase; option 2 uses France, which is the country, not the adjective; option 3 reverses the words and is not the set phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “French oui”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.