cas
/ka/masculine
The English phrase 'case' is translated into French as cas.
The word cas refers to an actual event, situation or fact. You may also encounter specific phrases such as en cas de, which means 'in case of' when followed by a noun (for example, en cas de pluie for 'in case of rain') and au cas où, which means 'in case' and is typically followed by a verb in the conditional mood.
Meaning: actual event, situation, or fact (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/ka/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers may mistakenly pronounce the final 's' in cas, but it should remain silent.
Did you know?
- In French law, a cas de force majeure is a specific legal concept referring to an unforeseeable event that prevents someone from fulfilling a contract. This phrase is used worldwide in legal English as 'force majeure'.
- The word cas shares the same Latin root as the English word 'chance', both stemming from 'casus' meaning 'a fall' or 'an event'.
- In a medical context, French doctors use cas to refer to a patient's condition, but they use dossier to refer to the physical 'case file' or folder. An English speaker cannot use cas to describe the folder containing the evidence.
Examples in context
- C'est un cas isolé.It's an isolated case.This sentence is useful for showing how to describe an isolated cas.Tatoeba #3078065 by Blabla, translation #12180834 by sundown
- Le cas sera examiné.The case will be examined.This sentence is useful for showing how to describe a cas being examined.Tatoeba #4667978 by sacredceltic, translation #5922454 by mailohilohi
- C'est un cas extrême.It's an extreme case.This sentence is useful for showing how to describe an extreme cas.Tatoeba #486135 by sacredceltic, translation #1721051 by Spamster
- Je suis prêt à étudier tous les cas possiblesI am ready to study all possible cases.
- La situation est très complexeThe case is very complex.
- 249 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are discussing a strange problem at work.
- EmmaC'est un cas très bizarre, n'est-ce pas ?It's a very strange case, isn't it?
- NathanOui, je n'ai jamais vu ça.Yes, I have never seen that.
- EmmaDans ce cas, on doit appeler le patron.In that case, we must call the boss.
- NathanTu as raison, je m'en occupe.You are right, I will handle it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “case” translations and entries cas, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cas, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
