French Phrase
On a réussi.
Meaning
Literally “We succeeded.” In everyday French it’s an upbeat way to announce that a goal, test, project, or any challenge has been completed successfully.
When to use
Use it right after finishing a task, passing an exam, completing a group project, or when a plan you’ve been working on finally works out. It’s informal, so it fits casual conversation with friends, classmates, or teammates.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Onaréussi
On (indefinite pronoun)
In spoken French, *on* replaces *nous* and means “we” or “one”. It is always singular in verb agreement.
a (auxiliary verb)
The present tense of *avoir* used as the auxiliary for the passé composé. It agrees with the singular subject *on*.
réussi (past participle)
Past participle of *réussir* (to succeed). With *avoir* it does not agree with the subject unless a direct object precedes it.
🗨In Conversation
On a réussi !
We made it!
Super ! On peut passer à la prochaine étape.
Great! We can move on to the next step.
✕Common Mistakes
Je a réussi.
The auxiliary must agree with the subject; use *J’ai* instead of *Je a*.
On a réussie.
With *avoir* the past participle does not agree with *on* unless a direct object precedes it; the correct form is *réussi*.
Nous a réussi.
The subject *nous* requires the plural auxiliary *avons*.
↔Alternatives
Nous avons réussi.
We succeeded. (more formal)
C’est réussi.
It’s successful.
Ça a marché.
It worked.
J’ai réussi.
I succeeded.
Cultural Tip
In French, *on* is the go‑to pronoun for “we” in spoken language, even in professional settings. Reserve *nous* for formal writing, presentations, or when you want to sound especially polite. Also, remember that the past participle *réussi* does not take an “e” or “s” agreement here because *avoir* is the auxiliary and there’s no preceding direct object.