oh là là
Oh là là is the French reaction to anything a bit too much: a wild story, a missed train, a price tag. It can mean wow, oh dear or oh no, depending on the tone. And no, the French rarely say it in a flirty way. The cheeky version with a wink is mostly an English invention.
Where you'll hear it
Arthur
Dis-moi, Léa, y a-t-il une leçon que tu as dû apprendre à la dure ?
Tell me, Léa, is there a lesson you had to learn the hard way?
Léa
Oh là là, ne m'en parle pas ! J'en ai une qui me hante encore. Tu te souviens de mon ex, Lucas ? Eh bien, j'ai mis une éternité à comprendre que notre relation, ça ne tournait pas rond.
Oh my, don't get me started! I have one that still haunts me. Remember my ex, Lucas? Well, it took me forever to understand that our relationship wasn't right.
Arthur
Ah bon ? Pourtant, vous sembliez si bien assortis. Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ?
Really? Yet you seemed so well matched. What happened?
Listen: oh là là
How it shows up
Oh là là, il fait froid ce matin !
Oh wow, it's cold this morning!
Oh là là, j'ai oublié l'anniversaire de ma sœur.
Oh no, I forgot my sister's birthday.
Oh là là là là, quelle histoire !
Oh my goodness, what a story!
Questions people ask
Is oh là là flirty in French?
Almost never. In France it signals surprise, worry or mild despair. The cheeky 'ooh la la' with a raised eyebrow comes from English pop culture, not from Paris.
Why do French people add more là?
More là, more drama. Oh là là is mild; oh là là là là means something has really gone wrong. Count the syllables and you'll know how bad it is.