ça m'importe
In French, 'I care' can be expressed as ça m'importe.
The phrase is used to say that something is important to you or that you are concerned about it.
Did you know?
- A French speaker might signal 'I don't care' without using any words at all, instead making a bof sound and shrugging their shoulders.
- The common phrase je m'en fous is used to mean 'I don't care' but is considered vulgar and potentially offensive in formal situations.
- The word ça is believed by some linguists to be a linguistic calque from the German word Es, which functions as a neutral pronoun.
Examples in context
- Votre bien-être m'importe, Madame Lambert. Je suis là pour vous soutenir dans cette période difficile.Your well-being matters to me, Mrs. Lambert. I am here to support you during this difficult time.
- Je tiens à toi, mon ami. Tu peux toujours compter sur moi.I care about you, my friend. You can always count on me.
- Tu comptes beaucoup pour moi, ma sœur. Je serai là à tes côtés quoi qu'il arrive.You mean a lot to me, my sister. I'll be by your side no matter what.
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are discussing a community project.
- EmmaOn devrait aider le centre local, Gabriel.We should help the local center, Gabriel.
- GabrielPourquoi est-ce que tu veux faire ça ?Why do you want to do that?
- EmmaParce que l'éducation des enfants, ça m'importe.Because children's education is important to me.
- GabrielJe suis d'accord, je vais t'aider.I agree, I will help you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ça, CC BY-SA 4.0.
