ça fait
The English phrase "it has been" is translated into French as ça fait.
ça fait is used to describe the amount of time that has passed since an event occurred. In colloquial speech, the variation Ça fait que can also be used to mean "therefore" or "so".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "it makes" or "that makes".
Which one should you use?
While ça fait is used to say "it has been [duration] since [event]", the phrase il y a is used to say "[event] happened [duration] ago."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ça fait is used in informal conversations. For formal settings or formal writing, use Cela fait, as the pronoun cela is used instead of the colloquial ça.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing how long something has been happening, the phrase ça fait … que is typically paired with the conjunction que.
Did you know?
- The word ça is thought to be a 'calque' of the German word Es. This means the French word was shaped by translating the structure and function of the German pronoun into French.
- In Quebec, ça fait que is used as a filler word similar to the English 'like' or 'so' to connect thoughts, even when the speaker is not talking about time or logic.
- While 'it has been' describes a duration, the French verb faire used in ça fait is also the standard way to talk about the weather. You use the same verb to say it 'makes' cold or 'makes' rain.
Examples in context
- Ça fait un tel bail !It has been such a long time.This sentence is useful for expressing that a long time has passed using ça fait.Tatoeba #3745207 by sacredceltic, translation #3719586 by Hybrid
- Ça fait longtemps que je ne l'ai vu.It has been a long time since I saw him.This sentence is useful for stating how long it has been since seeing someone using ça fait.Tatoeba #1183465 by sacredceltic, translation #1183241 by Ignoto
- Ça fait trois ans que Bob a démarré son affaire.It has been three years since Bob started his own business.This sentence is useful for describing the duration of a business activity using ça fait.Tatoeba #236473 by Aiji, translation #33258 by carlosalberto
- Cela fait cinq ans qu'il travaille ici.It has been five years since he started working here.
- Ça fait une semaine que nous sommes arrivés.It has been a week since we arrived.
- Il y a deux heures que je l'attends.It has been two hours since I've been waiting for him/her.
- Voilà trois mois qu'il est parti.It has been three months since he left.
- Ça fait longtemps qu'on ne s'est pas vus.It has been a long time since we last saw each other.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a café after a long time.
- HugoÇa fait une éternité, Emma !It has been an eternity, Emma!
- EmmaC'est vrai, ça fait trop longtemps.It's true, it has been too long.
- HugoTu as beaucoup changé.You have changed a lot.
- EmmaMerci, Hugo. Et toi ?Thanks, Hugo. And you?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fait, ça, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
