French word

zut

Pronunciation

IPA/zyt/

Meaning

  • interjectiondarn

Example

Ah, zut, j'ai oublié mes clés.

Ah, darn, I forgot my keys.

Illustration for zut (darn)

More examples

Zut alors, j'ai raté le bus.

Oh, darn it, I missed the bus.

Core concept

A speaker notices a small problem and lets out a restrained exclamation.

Common phrases

  • ah zut

    Ah, shoot

  • zut alors

    Oh, darn it

Similar words

mince: A brief expression of mild disappointment or confusion when things go awry.
flûte: A gentle exclamation of disappointment or annoyance at an outcome that falls short.
punaise: A casual expression of surprise or annoyance at a minor unpleasant event.
zut alors: A somewhat stronger exclamation of surprise and regret over an unexpected problem.

Definition in French

Exprime une légère contrariété ou la découverte d'une erreur ou d'un oubli, utilisée comme exclamation non offensive.

Word origin

'Zut' has no securely known etymology and is treated in French as a conventional mild interjection.

Usage tips

  • The final 't' is pronounced in 'zut', giving it the sound /zyt/ rather than an English-style silent ending.

Opposites

Word lists with this word