Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| je ne m'inquiète pas | ||
| ça m'est égal | /sa m‿ɛ.t‿e.ɡal/ | |
| je m’en fiche | slang | |
| je m'en fous | vulgar | |
| je m'en branle | vulgar | |
| je m'en bats les couilles | vulgar | |
| on s'en fout | familiar |
You might use ça m'est égal to indicate that a choice or situation is all the same to you, or use slang like je m’en fiche to show apathy among friends.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrases je m’en fiche, je m'en fous, je m'en branle and je m'en bats les couilles, the word en acts as a pronoun representing the thing you do not care about.
Which one should you use?
Use ça m'est égal when you want to express indifference or that something is all the same to you, whereas the other forms express a more active lack of concern or even contempt.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Cela m'est égal conveys a sense of indifference and neutrality in a formal manner. je m’en fiche is a common, informal way to say "I don't care" among friends and acquaintances without being offensive. However, the following are vulgar: je m'en fous is much more aggressive and vulgar than je m'en fiche, je m'en branle is highly vulgar and should be avoided in almost all social situations and je m'en bats les couilles is an extremely vulgar and highly aggressive way to express total indifference.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form on s'en fout uses the pronoun on to mean "one" or "people", making the statement more general than 'I don't care'.
Did you know?
- Before pas became the standard, French speakers used other nouns to emphasize a negative, such as goutte for 'not a drop' and mie for 'not a crumb'.
- The informal phrase je m’en fiche comes from the verb ficher, which in certain contexts can mean 'to stick' or 'to fix' something in place.
- In the phrase je m'en fous, the word fous is a form of the verb foutre, a highly versatile and frequently vulgar verb in French.
Examples in context
- Je m'en fous !I don't care!This sentence is useful for expressing a strong sense of not caring using the form je m'en fous.Tatoeba #7724340 by Katastrauff, translation #9353125 by DJ_Saidez
- Ça m'est égal de finir en prison.I don't care if I end up in jail.This sentence shows how to use ça m'est égal to express indifference regarding a consequence.Tatoeba #11971315 by lbdx, translation #11539247 by Nuel
- J'ignore pourquoi et ça m'est égal.I don't know why and I don't care.This sentence demonstrates how to use ça m'est égal to express that a lack of knowledge does not change one's indifference.Tatoeba #2504815 by sacredceltic, translation #2322708 by CK
- Je m'en fiche, choisissez ce que vous voulez.I don't care, choose whatever you want.
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are choosing a movie to watch.
- EmmaOn regarde un film d'horreur ou une comédie ?Should we watch a horror movie or a comedy?
- GabrielJe ne m'inquiète pas du genre, choisis toi-même.I don't care about the genre, you choose.
- EmmaOn prend la comédie alors ?We'll take the comedy then?
- GabrielOui, ça me convient parfaitement.Yes, that works perfectly for me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I don't care” translations and entries ça m'est égal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fiche, je, ne, pas, ça, ça m'est égal, égal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
