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Is there an expression in French that is analogous to the English whoops a daisy? I'm asking about an old-fashioned expression that would be used nowadays to express having made a small mistake, for example, dropping something on the floor.

I found on this forum that it might be houp-là, but I'm not sure if this expression can be also used in the small mistake context, or is just a reaction for lifting something.

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  • It is an interjection, so to find its equivalent, first locates its context, and its field of use !
    – Bo Halim
    Jan 8, 2017 at 17:08
  • 1
    Informations sur l'origine.
    – user3177
    Jan 8, 2017 at 17:41

3 Answers 3

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My grandmother would use something like

Flûte !

Sapristi !

3

Often found in Hergé's Tintin:

Saperlipopette!

might have this old-school sound to it.

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To do it in pure Gallic fashion:

MERDE ALORS !

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  • I do not actually agree with that. Originally, whoops a daisy is used in a context with children. I would personally avoid merde alors with children. Would it sound more Gallic.
    – aCOSwt
    Nov 26, 2019 at 13:19

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