How to Say “I Appreciate That” in French

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j'apprécie cela
The English phrase 'I appreciate that' is translated into French as j'apprécie cela.
This phrase is used to express gratitude or to show that one values a specific action or gesture. While you can use the pronoun to mean 'that', it is very natural in French to follow j'apprécie directly with the specific thing being appreciated, such as J'apprécie votre aide (I appreciate your help).

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase j'apprécie cela is composed of je (I), apprécie (appreciate) and cela (that/this).

Which one should you use?

j'apprécie cela focuses on the speaker's internal feeling of appreciation, whereas the common expression C'est gentil (That's kind) is more frequently used to acknowledge a kind gesture or favor.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

In formal situations, you might use more elaborate expressions like Je vous suis reconnaissant(e) (I am grateful to you), Je tiens à vous remercier (I would like to thank you), Je vous remercie sincèrement (I genuinely thank you), Je suis très reconnaissant(e) (I am very grateful) or Votre geste m'a vraiment touché(e) (Your gesture really touched me). In informal settings, you can say Je t'en suis reconnaissant(e) (I am grateful to you) or C'est vraiment sympa de ta part (That's really nice of you).

Is it said differently in some regions?

In spoken or informal French, ça is much more common than cela to represent 'that', leading to the form j'apprécie ça.

How does it change in a sentence?

To add emphasis to the sentiment, you can insert beaucoup (a lot) between the verb and the object, forming j'apprécie beaucoup cela.

Did you know?

  • While j'apprécie translates to 'I appreciate', using it on its own to say 'thank you' can sometimes sound like you are judging the value of a gift rather than being grateful for it.
  • In French, the word apprécier can also mean 'to estimate the price of something' or 'to assess its value' in a professional or technical context.
  • The word cela is actually a combination of two words: ce meaning 'this' and là meaning 'there'.

Examples in context

  • J'apprécie cela énormément.
    I appreciate that enormously.

Example conversation

Gabriel helps Manon carry some heavy boxes.

  1. Manon

    Merci d'avoir porté ces cartons, Gabriel.
    Thank you for carrying these boxes, Gabriel.
  2. Gabriel

    C'est normal, je suis ravi de t'aider.
    It's normal, I'm happy to help you.
  3. Manon

    C'est vraiment sympa, j'apprécie cela.
    That's really nice, I appreciate that.
  4. Gabriel

    De rien, Manon !
    You're welcome, Manon!

Sources

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Brianna Ida
Brianna IdaHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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