Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| là-bas | /la.ba/ /la.bɑ/ |
| là | /la/ /la/ (Quebec) |
Both là-bas and là are used to indicate a place, but they imply different distances from the speaker.
What does it mean word for word?
The word là-bas is composed of the adverb là (there) and the particle bas (low/down), which together function as a single unit meaning 'over there'.
Which one should you use?
Use là-bas when the location is distant or clearly separated from the speaker. In contrast, là is used for a location that is closer or more immediate. While English often distinguishes between 'there' and 'over there', French can use the single word là to cover both, depending on the proximity of the object.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word là can be used to cover both 'there' and 'over there' in English, with the specific meaning determined by how close the object is to the speaker.
How do you pronounce it?
/la.ba/
Did you know?
- A French speaker might say Je suis là to mean 'I am here', using the word for 'there' to indicate their own presence.
- In casual spoken French, là is often used to mean 'now' or 'at this moment' rather than just a physical location.
- Using là-bas can imply a psychological distance, such as referring to a foreign country or a distant memory, not just a physical spot.
Examples in context
- Regardez par là !Look over there!This sentence is useful for seeing how to use là to indicate a direction.Tatoeba #8718860 by Micsmithel, translation #10060918 by espamatics
- Oh, regarde là-bas !Hey, look over there.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use là-bas to point something out.Tatoeba #4019863 by Rovo, translation #3575381 by CK
- Le livre est là-bas.The book is over there.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use là-bas to describe the location of an object.Tatoeba #7664136 by tras, translation #7593099 by feudalism
- La tour Eiffel? C'est là-bas, sur la rive droite de la Seine.The Eiffel Tower? It's over there, on the right bank of the Seine.
- Excusez-moi, pour aller à la bibliothèque, c'est par là?Excuse me, to go to the library, is it over there?
- On se retrouve là-bas?Shall we meet up over there?
- C'est par là-bas.Pointing towards the direction
- Le musée se trouve là-bas, à droite.The museum is over there, to the right.
- Non, la clé est là-bas!No, the key is over there!
- 153 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Chloé are walking in a park.
- LucasOù est le petit garçon ?Where is the little boy?
- ChloéIl est là-bas, près de l'arbre.He is over there, near the tree.
- LucasAh, je le vois maintenant.Ah, I see him now.
- ChloéOui, il joue avec son chien.Yes, he is playing with his dog.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “over there” translations and entries là-bas, là, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
