Je déteste ça
The English phrase "I hate it" can be translated into French as Je déteste ça.
This phrase is used to express a strong dislike for a specific thing or situation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Je (I), déteste (hate) and ça (that/it).
Which one should you use?
While Je n'aime pas ça means "I don't like that," Je déteste ça expresses a much stronger, more visceral dislike. Another common alternative to express a strong dislike is J'ai horreur de ça.
Did you know?
- In very informal settings, French speakers might replace Je déteste ça with Ça me saoule, which literally means 'that exhausts me' or 'that makes me drunk', to express that they are fed up with something.
- The verb haïr used in the formal version of this phrase is one of the few French verbs that uses a trema, the two dots over the ï, to signal that the vowel must be pronounced separately from the a.
- The word ça is a shortened version of cela, which was created by combining ce (this) and là (there).
Examples in context
- Je déteste ça quand il y a trop de gens.I hate it when there are a lot of people.This sentence shows how to express dislike for a situation involving crowds using Je déteste ça.Tatoeba #3210 by zmoo, translation #1394 by CM
- Je déteste ça.I hate it.This is a simple way to state a dislike using Je déteste ça.Tatoeba #2433133 by sacredceltic, translation #3823453 by CK
- « J’adore le roquefort. » « Moi, je déteste ça. »"I love Roquefort cheese." "Me, I hate it."This example shows a conversational way to express a dislike for something mentioned by another person using Je déteste ça.Tatoeba #3984825 by gillux, translation #6698211 by Eccles17
- Je ne supporte pas du tout ça.I really can't stand that.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Hugo are discussing the weather.
- ManonIl pleut encore aujourd'hui.It is raining again today.
- HugoJe déteste ça, le mauvais temps.I hate it, the bad weather.
- ManonTu préfères quand il fait beau ?Do you prefer it when it is nice out?
- HugoOui, j'aime beaucoup le soleil.Yes, I like the sun a lot.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, ça, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
