What does "c'est la vie" mean?

C’est la vie mean?

Answer #1

this is life I speak french I go to a french school where we speke french all day

Answer #2

I’m pretty sure C’est means its so youre saying its life.

Answer #3

Of course it is French for “that’s life.” Common expression in English for when life is harsh. Goes along with the Buddhist concept of life being pain. You can not deny pain without denying life itself. A slightly stronger way of expressing this idea is “C’est la guerre” or “that’s war.”

There are a lot of French terms in English that you should know.

“de rigueur” expected by custom, fashion, or convention. “en masse” as a group “esprit de corp” morale of group, esp. military or workplace “fait accompli” a done deal “coup de grace” merciful blow to end ones misery. Often used a metaphor. “Cette je any sait quoi” Special quality you can’t quite describe. “poseur” someone who pretends to be something they are not :”raison d’etre” reason for being “joi de vivre” joy of life. “any plus ultra” can not be surpassed. “R.S.V.P’ or “Respende s’il vous plait” Confirm whether or not you will attend.

Answer #4

‘That’s life’. It’s French.

Answer #5

I didn’t know about RSVP.

I understand that “nom de plume” is fake French as well. English speakers say “pen name” for their writing pseudonym where the French say “nom de guerre” (translates to war name). “Nom de plume” is the French translation of the English term. I understand that due to persistent use by anglophones that the term is catching on in France.

Answer #6

Just wanted to add that some of my French phrases are spelled incorrectly because the website auto-corrects some of the words.

Answer #7

Crazy! Thanks, fillet. Did you know that the French themselved don’t use RSVP on their invitations? I wonder when it started in English.

Answer #8

umm… no.

C’est la vie” does literally translate to “this is life,” but it’s often used like “well, that’s life”

Answer #9

Who ever said this was italian was an idiot :)

It is french for ‘it’s life’

Or maybe ‘that’s life’

Not italian!

Answer #10

there east the ways its italian

Answer #11

Yes, my son’s been taught to use it in France - intriguing.

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