Kevin
April 5, 2021
Common Questions
Do you know the definition of the French term c’est la vie? This guide will provide you with all of the info you need on the expression c’est la vie, including its definition, usage, example sentences, and more!
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According to Merriam-Webster Unabridged English Dictionary and The Hindu, the phrase c’est la vie, pronounced “se lah vee” is a French expression that means “such is life,” or “so it goes.” The literal translation from the French is “it is life” but people take this phrase in English to mean “that’s the way the cookie crumbles.” People usually use this phrase after a minor disappointment or setback as a form of acceptance. For example, if a young gymnast is disappointed that she lost at a gymnastics meet, her father might say, “C’est la vie. You win some, you lose some.” English speakers have adopted this phrase while retaining the French words to express acceptance in a situation.
There are many different ways to say “such is life” in a plethora of different languages besides French! This list of translations for the phrase c’est la vie is provided by Word Sense.
According to Dictionary, the French phrase c’est la vie was found in the French language centuries ago, but was adopted into a common saying in the English language by the 1880s. This has become a common way to say “that’s life!” in response to a minor setback.
There are many different ways that someone can say c’est la vie. All of these idioms are considered synonyms for the French phrase c’est la vie. Synonyms are very useful to know if you are wanting to avoid repeating yourself, if the person you are speaking with does not speak French, or if you are looking to expand your vocabulary. This list of synonyms is provided by Thesaurus.
The French phrase c’est la vie can be used in a wide variety of differencircumstnaces to express acceptance at a somewhat disappointing situation or circumstance. In this example, Jennifer is annoyed that her birthday party was ruined by the rain. She sulks indoors during what was supposed to be her tenth birthday pool party.
Dad: June gloom got you down?
Jenny: All of my friends were supposed to come over to have a pool party for my birthday. Now the decorations are all soggy, and so are the sandwiches, and my whole birthday is ruined. This is the worst day even.
Dad: Jenny, I know you’re upset, but c’est la vie. You can’t control the weather. How about this? We can invite your friends over for a move night, and then you guys can all go swimming tomorrow after a sleepover? The forecast says sunny clear skies tomorrow morning.
Jenny: Really?!
Here, Jenny’s father uses the phrase c’est la vie to express that the disappointing situation was inevitable. Jenny cannot control the weather or the fact that no one wants to swim in the rain. In this next scenario, Taylor did not get the part that she wanted in the school play. Her classmate Max comforts her.
Mark: Hey Taylor, what’s up?
Taylor: Just a little disappointed about the cast list, but c’est la vie. I’m trying to look on the bright side. I’ll have a lot more time than I did as the lead in the play last semester.
Overall, the French term c’est la vie is used to mean “such is life” to express acceptance at a disappointing situation. This phrase is used among both French speakers and English speakers. Though English speakers will sometimes use the English translation, it is just as common to keep the original French.
