Ça marche
/sa maʁʃ/
The English phrase "will do" can be translated into French as Ça marche.
Ça marche is used to express an affirmative agreement to a plan or to confirm that a certain way of doing something is acceptable.
Meaning: affirmative yes (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, Ça marche means "that works" or "that walks/runs."
Which one should you use?
While Ça marche implies agreement to a specific plan or method (similar to saying "that works for me"), the word D'accord is a more neutral way to express simple consent or agreement.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Ça marche is a colloquial expression and is best suited for informal or casual settings. For a formal alternative, you may use Je ferai cela, which translates to "I will do that.", or the informal Je m'en occupe, meaning "I'll take care of it."
How do you pronounce it?
/sa maʁʃ/
Did you know?
- The pronoun ça in this context is thought by some linguists to be a calque, or a direct imitation, of the German pronoun 'Es' used in similar constructions.
- In very casual speech, speakers may shorten the phrase even further to just Marche ! while maintaining the same meaning of 'will do'.
- The word marche comes from the same Latin root as the English word 'march', but in Ça marche, it describes the functional 'movement' of a plan rather than a physical walk.
Examples in context
- Ça marche.Will do.This example shows the use of Ça marche to express agreement.Tatoeba #3556659 by maydoo, translation #8730184 by shou
- Bien sûr, je ferai cela.Of course, I will do that
- Pas de souci, je vais le faire.No worries, I will do it
- Ça marche pour moi.That works for me.
- On se voit à huit heures ? Ça marche.Shall we meet at eight? Works for me.
Example conversation
Two friends are making plans to meet at a cafe.
- HugoOn se retrouve au café à midi ?Shall we meet at the cafe at noon?
- ChloéÇa marche, Hugo.Will do, Hugo.
- HugoParfait, à tout à l'heure.Perfect, see you later.
- ChloéÀ plus tard !See you later!
Sources
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry ça marche.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries marche, ça, ça marche, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
