See also:
👉 Dommage (what a shame, too bad) »
👉 Tant mieux (so much the better) »
👉 French interjections and exclamations »
Lesson written by French teacher David Issokson for students who want to learn French online, with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a voice artist from France.
Level: A2 (Upper Beginner)
The French Word of the Day is tant pis, a short, punchy expression meaning “oh well” or “too bad.” It’s an everyday phrase you’ll rarely find in textbooks but will hear constantly on the streets of Paris.
✅ Meaning
✅ Pronunciation
✅ Example sentences
📘 Tant pis meaning
The expression tant pis has two main meanings. It can convey resignation, as in “oh well” or “never mind,” when something unfortunate can’t be helped. It can also carry a sharper meaning of dismissal or indifference, like “tough” or “too bad for you.”
🎧 Tant pis pronunciation
Tant pis is pronounced /tɑ̃ pi/ in IPA, roughly “tahn pee.”
📝 French and English examples
Il n’y a plus de biscuits. Tant pis, je mangerai une pomme !
There are no more cookies. Oh well! I’ll eat an apple.
J’ai encore fait la même bêtise. Tant pis !
I made the same mistake again. Too bad!
👉 See also: Avoir conjugation chart (to have) »
Nous avons encore raté le bus. Tant pis !
We missed the bus again. Oh well!
Vous ne venez pas demain ? Tant pis pour vous ! C’est pas mon problème !
You’re not coming tomorrow? Tough! That’s not my problem!!
Si tu ne bosses pas avant l’examen tant pis pour toi ! Tu risques de redoubler l’an prochain !
If you don’t study before the exam, that’s too bad! You risk staying back next year.
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🔗 Related words and expressions
- Tant mieux — So much the better / All the better / Great!
- Pas grave — No big deal / It doesn’t matter.
- C’est la vie — That’s life.
- Ce n’est rien — It’s nothing / Don’t worry about it.
- Peu importe — No matter / Whatever.
- Laisse tomber — Forget it / Drop it.
- Ça ne fait rien — It doesn’t matter / Never mind.
🚀 Expand your French vocabulary!
Now that you’ve mastered tant pis, check out my lesson covering the related expression ce n’est pas grave, meaning “it’s no big deal.”
👉 Tant mieux (so much the better) »
👉 Ce n’est pas grave (it’s no big deal) »
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