🍀

How to Say ‘We were lucky’ in French

On a eu de la chance

on a ew duh lah SHAHNS

[on a ew duh lah SHAHNS]

💬 Usage Tip: In everyday speech on is the normal way to say "we", and it takes the same verb form as "he": on a, not nous avons.

Phrase Breakdown

On a eu

on a ew

We had

Say 'oh-nah Ü'. The N of 'on' links to 'a'. 'On' often means 'we' in spoken French.

Example

On a eu froid.

We were cold.

Words in this phrase

[on]

Used by a speaker to refer to themself and one or more other people considered together.

Example

On y va maintenant.

We are going now.

[a]

have

Possess, own, or hold something.

Example

Vous avez un stylo?

Do you have a pen?

[ew]

had

Past participle of 'avoir', used to form the past tense.

Example

Elle a eu un cadeau.

She got a present.

de la chance

duh lah SHAHNS

luck

Say 'duh lah SHAHNSS' with a nasal 'an'. 'Avoir de la chance' means to be lucky.

Example

Tu as de la chance !

You're lucky!

Words in this phrase

[duh]

some

Part of the partitive 'de la', meaning 'some' before an uncountable noun.

Example

Je veux de l'eau.

I want some water.

[lah]

some (with 'de')

With 'de' forms the partitive 'de la' (some) before feminine nouns.

Example

Il a de la patience.

He has patience.

chance

[SHAHNS]

luck

Good fortune; bonne chance means good luck.

Example

Tu as de la chance !

You are lucky!

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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