au cas où
/o ka u/
The English phrase "just in case" can be translated into French as au cas où. Wiktionary also lists par acquit de conscience.
Meaning: to be on the safe side (adv)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| au cas où | /o ka u/ /o kɑ u/ |
| par acquit de conscience | /pa.ʁ‿a.ki d(ə) kɔ̃.sjɑ̃s/ |
The expressions are used to indicate that an action is being taken to be on the safe side.
Which one should you use?
au cas où is a neutral or informal way to express "just in case" for everyday situations. In contrast, par acquit de conscience is used specifically when the emphasis is on acting to avoid doubt or to ensure one's own peace of mind, often translated as "to be on the safe side" or "for peace of mind".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When au cas où is followed by a verb, that verb must be in the conditional mood. You can also add juste before au cas où to form juste au cas où, which is a common way to translate the "just" in "just in case".
How do you pronounce it?
/o ka u/
Did you know?
- The phrase par acquit de conscience literally translates to 'by discharge of conscience'.
- The word où in the phrase au cas où literally means 'where', which might seem strange when translating to 'in case'.
- French speakers often use au cas où to politely suggest something without appearing to insist or demand it.
Examples in context
- Prends de l'argent au cas où.Take some money just in case.This sentence shows how to use au cas où to suggest taking money as a precaution.Tatoeba #7700515 by Maxence, translation #10857090 by ddnktr
- Faisons une radio juste au cas où.Let's take an X-ray just in case.This sentence demonstrates using au cas où in the context of a medical precaution.Tatoeba #6716767 by Aiji, translation #282236 by CK
- J'en ai apporté un, juste au cas où.I brought one just in case.This sentence illustrates the use of au cas où when explaining why something was brought along.Tatoeba #2222325 by sacredceltic, translation #2220694 by Hybrid
- Afin d'éviter tout problème, prenez votre passeport avec vous, au cas où vous auriez besoin de le montrer.To avoid any issues, take your passport with you, just in case you need to show it.
- Prenez des médicaments en cas de douleur.Take medication in case of pain.
- Dans l'éventualité où vous seriez en désaccord, veuillez contacter notre service client.In case you disagree, please contact our customer service.
- Nous vous recommandons de souscrire une assurance dans l'éventualité où vous auriez besoin d'une assistance médicale.We recommend purchasing insurance in case you need medical assistance.
- Prends ton parapluie si jamais il se mettait à pleuvoir.Take your umbrella, just in case it starts raining.
- Si jamais tu as besoin de quelque chose, n'hésite pas à me demander.If you ever need anything, feel free to ask me.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are preparing for a walk in the park.
- LéaPrends un parapluie au cas où.Take an umbrella just in case.
- NathanIl fait très beau aujourd'hui, non ?The weather is very nice today, isn't it?
- LéaOui, mais je préfère être prudente au cas où.Yes, but I prefer to be careful just in case.
- NathanD'accord, je vais le prendre alors.Okay, I will take it then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “just in case” translations and entries au cas où, par acquit de conscience, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
