How to Say “That Hurt” in French

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ça a fait mal
The English phrase 'that hurt' is translated into French as ça a fait mal.
This phrase is used to say that something caused physical pain.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase ça a fait mal literally translates to 'that has made pain'.

Which one should you use?

If you want to say 'that hurts' in the present tense (as in, it is currently hurting), use ça fait mal instead of the past tense ça a fait mal.

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Québec, the phrase Ça m'a fait mal en titi. is used to express that something hurt.

Did you know?

  • While ça a fait mal describes physical pain, French often uses the same structure to describe emotional pain or a 'hurt' feeling.
  • The word mal shares a common ancestor with the English word 'ill', both tracing back to a root meaning 'bad' or 'wrong'.

Examples in context

  • Ça a fait mal.
    That hurt.
  • Ouch, ça a fait mal quand je suis tombé.
    Ouch, that hurt when I fell.

Example conversation

Manon accidentally steps on Gabriel's foot.

  1. Gabriel

    Oh ! Ça a fait mal !
    Oh! That hurt!
  2. Manon

    Pardon, Gabriel ! Je ne regardais pas.
    Sorry, Gabriel! I wasn't looking.
  3. Gabriel

    Ce n'est pas grave, ça va passer.
    It's okay, it will go away.
  4. Manon

    Tu es sûr que ça va ?
    Are you sure you're okay?

Sources

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Zara Daisy
Zara DaisyHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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