interjection

voilà

vwah-LAH

Voilà (interjection) means Said when you reveal or produce something, to draw attention to a finished result or a neat solution. Example: “Fold the corner in, tuck the edge under, and voilà — a paper crane.”

interjection

Said when you reveal or produce something, to draw attention to a finished result or a neat solution.

"Fold the corner in, tuck the edge under, and voilà — a paper crane."

"She reset the router, and voilà, the wi-fi came back."

Used to mark the end of an explanation, meaning roughly "and that is all there is to it".

"You pay the deposit, sign the form, voilà — the flat is yours."

How to use voilà

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA word you say when showing off something you have just done or made.

When to use it

Informal but very widely used in English. The accent on the a is standard in careful writing; "voila" without it is common and accepted online.

Memory tip

The v is pronounced like an English v, not a w, and the first syllable rhymes roughly with "swa".

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

viola → wallah → voilà tout

Common pairings

and voilà et voilà voilà — done

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Fold the corner in, tuck the edge under, and _____ — a paper crane.

Etymology

From French voilà, literally "see there", from vois (see) plus là (there).

Origin: French

Synonyms

View more →

there you go ta-da presto behold and that's that job done

Related words

see look hold ho lo behold discern presto

Rhymes for voilà

oil soil FOIL boil toil coil spoil recoil turmoil tinfoil topsoil

See all rhymes for voilà →

Frequently asked questions

How do you spell voilà correctly?

The French spelling is voilà, with a grave accent on the final a. English writing often drops the accent, but the misspellings "wala", "walla" and "viola" are wrong.

What is the difference between voilà and viola?

Voilà is the exclamation meaning "there it is". A viola is a stringed instrument slightly larger than a violin, or a small garden flower. They are unrelated, and confusing them is one of the most common spelling errors in English.

Is it rude to say voilà in English?

Not at all. It is a naturalised borrowing that native English speakers use freely, usually with a light, playful tone when revealing a result.

What is the meaning of voilà?

"voilà" (interjection) means said when you reveal or produce something, to draw attention to a finished result or a neat solution.

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see look hold ho lo behold discern presto