How do you say “Don't hold your breath” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is Ne compte pas trop là-dessus., which literally means “Do not count too much on that.”. English speakers use don't hold your breath to mean that something is unlikely to happen soon, or may not happen at all. Warns that the promised or hoped-for result is unlikely. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural French
Ne compte pas trop là-dessus.
/nə kɔ̃t pa tʁo la dəsy/
- Literal meaning
- “Do not count too much on that.”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
95 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
“Ne compte pas trop là-dessus” tells someone not to rely on a promise or hoped-for result. It fits the English warning without referring to breathing.
“Tu risques d’attendre longtemps” adds the idea of a long wait. It is useful for an apology or reply that probably will not come.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in French?
Tu risques d'attendre longtemps.
Literally: “You risk waiting a long time.”
A dry reply when a promised answer may never arrive.
In context
English
He says he'll apologise, but don't hold your breath.
French
Il dit qu'il va s'excuser, mais ne compte pas trop là-dessus.
English
A free upgrade? Don't hold your breath.
French
Un surclassement gratuit ? Ne compte pas trop là-dessus.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-09-19