What does it mean word for word?
Literally, ça s'est bien passé translates to "it itself well passed", using the reflexive form of the verb passer (to pass/happen).
Which one should you use?
You can use C'était top or C'était super to express that things went really well or were fantastic in an informal context.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Replacing the colloquial ça with cela makes the phrase more formal and suitable for written reports or professional settings to say cela s'est bien passé. In informal speech, you might use C'était top or C'était super to mean things went really well or were fantastic. There is also a slang version, Ça s'est super bien goupillé, which is used to convey that things went extremely well.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say ça s'est mal passé (it went badly), replace the adverb bien with mal. You can insert très before bien to say ça s'est très bien passé (it went very well). Additionally, the slang expression se goupiller means to turn out or to work out.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying ça a bien passé. English speakers often mistakenly omit the reflexive pronoun s', saying ça a bien passé instead of the correct ça s'est bien passé.
Did you know?
- The slang verb se goupiller comes from the word for a 'linchpin' or 'cotter pin'. It suggests that things went well because all the pieces were securely pinned together.
- In French, saying ça a bien passé instead of ça s'est bien passé can change the meaning to suggest that a food or drink was easy to swallow or digest.
- The word ça is a calque of the German word Es, which functions as a substantivized pronoun.
Examples in context
- Ça s'est bien passé.It went well.This sentence demonstrates the standard usage of the phrase.Tatoeba #5375570 by Aiji, translation #2248944 by CK
- J'espère que ça s'est bien passé.I hope it went well.This sentence shows how to express a hope regarding how an event went using ça s'est bien passé.Tatoeba #11698055 by Aiji, translation #5389658 by CK
- La réunion s'est bien passéeThe meeting went well
- La conférence s'est déroulée comme prévuThe conference went as planned
- La négociation s'est bien terminéeThe negotiation ended well
- La présentation s'est bien passée, c'était top!The presentation went well, it was fantastic!
- Le plan s'est super bien goupillé!The plan worked out really well!
- La répétition s'est incroyablement bien passéeThe rehearsal went incredibly well
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are talking about Hugo's job interview.
- EmmaAlors, ton entretien, ça s'est bien passé ?So, did your interview go well?
- HugoOui, ça s'est bien passé, merci !Yes, it went well, thanks!
- EmmaC'est super, je suis très contente pour toi.That's great, I am very happy for you.
- HugoMerci Emma, tu es très gentille.Thanks Emma, you are very kind.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, ça, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
