Literal translation
it's not given away
Meaning
it's expensive
Explanation
This exclamation means that something is expensive, costing more than one would have wished. The literal image plays on the contrast between giving, that is, handing over for free, and selling at a high price: what 'isn't given' is, through understatement, something one pays dearly for. The very same understatement exists as such in everyday French, which shows how widely shared this way of hinting at a high price without stating it bluntly really is. The exclamation comes up spontaneously in front of a bill, a price tag, or a quote judged excessive, in a familiar, everyday register, often with a touch of irritation or resigned weariness. The verb 'douna' (to give) appears here in the past participle, preceded by the negation 'pas', a simple and productive construction for this kind of ironic remark. It comes up readily in market or shop conversations, where the question of a fair price remains a constant subject of comment among Provençaux.