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How to Say ‘Oh shoot, I didn't know, I'm sorry.’ in French

Ah mince, je ne savais pas, je suis désolé.

ah manss zhuh nuh sah-VEH pah zhuh swee day-zoh-LAY

[ah manss zhuh nuh sah-VEH pah zhuh swee day-zoh-LAY]

Phrase Breakdown

Ah mince,

ah manss

Oh dear / Oh shoot,

'Mince' is a mild, polite exclamation of dismay. Say 'a-mins' with a nasal vowel.

Example

Ah mince, j'ai oublié !

Oh shoot, I forgot!

Words in this phrase

[ah]

ah / oh

An exclamation showing realization, understanding, or reaction.

Example

Ah, je comprends mieux le problème ; Ah montre une réaction.

Ah, I understand the problem better; Ah shows a reaction.

mince

[manss]

Darn

A mild exclamation used to show annoyance, disappointment, or frustration.

Example

Mince, il n'y a plus d'eau chaude.

Darn, there is no more hot water.

je ne savais pas,

zhuh nuh sah-VEH pah

I didn't know,

Imperfect of 'savoir' in the negative. Say it smoothly: 'jeun-sa-vè-pa'.

Example

Pardon, je ne savais pas.

Sorry, I didn't know.

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

[nuh]

(negation) not

Negation particle used with another negative word (ne… rien). In speech, it can be dropped, but it’s standard in writing.

Example

Ne me raconte rien sur l’anime, je veux garder la surprise.

Don’t tell me anything about the anime, I want to keep the surprise.

savais

[sah-VEH]

knew

Imperfect of 'savoir' (to know), first person.

Example

Je savais la réponse.

I knew the answer.

pas

[pah]

not (negation)

Second part of negation in “ne… pas.” Together: “Don’t worry.”

Example

Ne t’inquiète pas, je ne dis rien.

Don’t worry, I’m not saying anything.

je suis désolé.

zhuh swee day-zoh-LAY

I'm sorry.

Apology. 'Désolé' is said 'dé-zo-lé'.

Example

Je suis désolé, monsieur.

I'm sorry, sir.

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

suis

[swee]

First person singular present of 'to be'.

Example

Je suis fatigué.

I am tired.

désolé

[day-zoh-LAY]

sorry

An adjective meaning sorry; masculine form.

Example

Je suis désolé. Le rendez-vous du plombier est reporté.

I am sorry. The plumber's appointment has been postponed.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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