et alors
/e a.lɔʁ/
The English phrase "so what" can be translated into French as et alors.
Et alors is used as a reply of indifference.
Meaning: reply of indifference (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the conjunction et (and) and the adverb alors (then/so).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Et alors is an informal way to say "so what?" in French. While common in speech, using Et alors ? to dismiss someone's point can come across as blunt or rude depending on the tone. Qu'est-ce que cela change? is a formal way to say "so what?" in French.
How do you pronounce it?
/e a.lɔʁ/
Did you know?
- In French, et alors can be used not just for indifference but also as a prompt for someone to continue their story, similar to saying 'And then what happened?'
- The word alors actually stems from a phrase meaning 'at that time', combining the preposition a (at/to) with lors (at that time).
- In some French-speaking regions, particularly in parts of Canada, you might hear 'pis alors' instead of 'et alors' to convey a similar sense of 'and then/so what'.
Examples in context
- Oui, et alors ?Yeah, so what?This example shows how to use et alors in a conversational response.Tatoeba #1223678 by sacredceltic, translation #5228998 by jaxhere
- Je suis gay, et alors ?I'm gay, so what?This example demonstrates using et alors to express indifference regarding one's identity.Tatoeba #598039 by qdii, translation #5571822 by zumley
- Et alors ? Peu m'importe.So what? It doesn't matter to me.This example shows et alors being used to state that something does not matter.Tatoeba #353231 by Barbiche0, translation #41069 by Swift
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are arguing about a small mistake.
- ManonTu as oublié de fermer la porte.You forgot to close the door.
- NathanEt alors ?So what?
- ManonC'est dangereux pour la maison, Nathan !It's dangerous for the house, Nathan!
- NathanJe ne pense pas que ce soit grave.I don't think it's a big deal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “so what” translations and entries et alors, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alors, et, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
