Exclamatory sentences pack emotion into speech or writing, highlighting surprise, joy, anger, or admiration through special structures and vivid language. This guide shows how to form them clearly in French.
Key Structures
Exclamatory sentences often start with que, comme, or qu’il to spotlight a quality or feeling, and they use inversion or emphasis to heighten effect. Short, forceful phrases and interjections can amplify the emotion.
What a splendid view!
Vocabulary
High-impact adjectives, adverbs, and set expressions turn ordinary sentences into striking exclamations that resonate with the speaker’s attitude. Learning common exclamatory phrases helps you sound natural when reacting aloud.
| French Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| Que + noun / adjective | What a + noun / adjective | |
| Comme + noun / adjective / adverb | How + adjective / adverb | |
| Qu’il + soit / fasse / etc. | That he / she / it + be / do / etc. | |
| Tellement + adjective / adverbe | So + adjective / adverb | |
| Quel + nom / adjectif | What + noun / adjective | |
| Quelle + nom / adjectif | What + noun / adjective |
Interjections
Interjections like ah, oh, zut, and veillez deliver instant emotion and set the tone before or after an exclamatory sentence. They mimic natural speech and signal reactions clearly.
| French Interjection | English Interjection | |
|---|---|---|
| Ah ! | Ah! / Oh! | |
| Oh ! | Oh! / Wow! | |
| Zut ! | Darn! / Rats! | |
| Eh bien ! | Well! / Well then! | |
| Mon Dieu ! | My God! / OMG! | |
| Hélas ! | Alas! / Unfortunately! |
Short Exclamations
Short exclamations use quel, comme, or que plus a brief phrase to deliver punchy reactions, making them useful for quick admiration, shock, or delight in conversation. They often omit verbs for speed.
Emphasis
Emphasis can come from repetition, word order, or intensifiers like tellement and si, which tune the strength of the emotion in an exclamation. Stress in spoken French reinforces the feeling behind the words.
Examples
Summary
Exclamatory sentences channel emotion through set structures like que and comme, vivid vocabulary, and natural interjections. Practice turning reactions into brief, forceful phrases to speak French expressively.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025