Understanding how to express indifference or dismissiveness in French is crucial for effective communication. The phrase “so what” might seem simple, but its translation and usage in French require a nuanced understanding of context and tone.
This article provides a comprehensive guide to mastering the various ways to say “so what” in French, exploring different expressions, their specific contexts, and common mistakes to avoid. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner, this guide will equip you with the necessary tools to express indifference like a native speaker.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Definition: Understanding “So What”
- Structural Breakdown
- Types and Categories of “So What” in French
- Examples: Putting It All Together
- Usage Rules and Context
- Common Mistakes
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics
- FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Definition: Understanding “So What”
The English phrase “so what” is used to express indifference, dismissiveness, or a lack of concern about something. It can also convey a challenge or a defiant attitude.
In French, there isn’t a single direct translation, but rather several expressions that capture different nuances of this sentiment. The choice of expression depends heavily on the context, the tone you want to convey, and the relationship between the speakers.
Understanding these nuances is essential for effective communication in French.
The key function of “so what” is to minimize the importance of a statement or event. It serves as a conversational tool to downplay significance, challenge assumptions, or simply indicate a lack of interest.
The French equivalents maintain this core function but adapt to the specific linguistic and cultural norms of the language.
Structural Breakdown
The structure of French equivalents of “so what” varies depending on the expression used. Some are simple interjections, while others are interrogative phrases.
Understanding the grammatical structure helps in using them correctly.
For instance, “Et alors ?” is a straightforward interrogative phrase, literally translating to “And then?”. The “Et” acts as a conjunction, linking the current statement to a previous one, while “alors” indicates a consequence or continuation. The question mark signifies the questioning tone, challenging the significance of the previous statement.
Similarly, “Après ?” is a shortened version, directly questioning what follows or what the consequence is. “Ça fait quoi ?” is a complete sentence structure, with “Ça” representing “it,” “fait” being the verb “to do” or “to make,” and “quoi” meaning “what.” This translates to “What does it do?” or “What difference does it make?”.
The interjection “Bof” is unique as it doesn’t follow a typical sentence structure. It’s a sound that conveys indifference or a lack of enthusiasm, similar to a shrug in body language. Its simplicity makes it versatile, but also requires careful consideration of the context to avoid miscommunication.
Types and Categories of “So What” in French
Several expressions in French can convey the meaning of “so what,” each with its own nuances. Here’s a breakdown of the most common ones:
“Et alors ?” – The Standard Expression
“Et alors ?” is perhaps the most common and versatile translation of “so what.” It literally means “And then?” or “So?” and can be used in a variety of contexts to express indifference, challenge a statement, or ask for further explanation.
“Après ?” – A More Direct Approach
“Après ?” means “After?” or “And then?” and is a more direct and sometimes more confrontational way of saying “so what.” It implies a stronger sense of dismissal or impatience.
“Et puis ?” – Adding Impatience
“Et puis ?” is similar to “Et alors ?” but often carries a stronger tone of impatience or annoyance. It translates to “And then what?” or “So what else?”.
“Ça fait quoi ?” – What Difference Does It Make?
“Ça fait quoi ?” translates to “What does it do?” or “What difference does it make?” This expression is used to question the impact or significance of something, implying that it doesn’t matter.
“Bof” – The Ultimate Indifference
“Bof” is an interjection that expresses indifference or a lack of enthusiasm. It’s similar to a shrug and can be used in response to a statement or situation that you don’t find interesting or important.
Other Related Expressions
Besides the main expressions, there are other ways to convey indifference or dismissiveness in French:
- “Tant pis !” – Too bad!
- “Peu importe !” – It doesn’t matter!
- “Ça m’est égal !” – I don’t care!
- “Je m’en fiche !” – I don’t care! (more vulgar)
Examples: Putting It All Together
To illustrate the usage of these expressions, here are several examples in different contexts:
“Et alors ?” Examples
The following table contains example sentences using “Et alors ?” in various conversational contexts. This expression is versatile and can be used in many different situations.
| French | English Translation | Context |
|---|---|---|
| “J’ai oublié d’acheter du pain. Et alors ?” | “I forgot to buy bread. So what?” | Expressing indifference to a minor mistake. |
| “Il pleut. Et alors ? On a des parapluies.” | “It’s raining. So what? We have umbrellas.” | Dismissing a problem because a solution exists. |
| “Je suis en retard. Et alors ? Le film n’a pas commencé.” | “I’m late. So what? The movie hasn’t started.” | Minimizing the importance of being late. |
| “Elle n’aime pas ma robe. Et alors ?” | “She doesn’t like my dress. So what?” | Expressing indifference to someone’s opinion. |
| “J’ai échoué à l’examen. Et alors ? Je peux le repasser.” | “I failed the exam. So what? I can retake it.” | Downplaying the failure by focusing on the possibility of improvement. |
| “Il a dit ça. Et alors ?” | “He said that. So what?” | Challenging the significance of someone’s statement. |
| “Nous n’avons plus de café. Et alors ? On peut boire du thé.” | “We don’t have any more coffee. So what? We can drink tea.” | Suggesting an alternative when something is missing. |
| “Je n’ai pas d’argent. Et alors ? Je peux emprunter.” | “I don’t have money. So what? I can borrow some.” | Offering a solution to a lack of resources. |
| “Il est fâché. Et alors ? Il se calmera.” | “He’s angry. So what? He’ll calm down.” | Minimizing the impact of someone’s anger. |
| “Je n’ai pas envie d’y aller. Et alors ?” | “I don’t want to go. So what?” | Expressing a lack of enthusiasm and questioning the need to go. |
| “Tu as oublié mon anniversaire. Et alors ?” | “You forgot my birthday. So what?” | Expressing mild disappointment but not making a big deal out of it. |
| “Le train est en retard. Et alors ? J’ai le temps.” | “The train is late. So what? I have time.” | Not being bothered by a delay because of having ample time. |
| “Elle est partie. Et alors ? Elle reviendra.” | “She left. So what? She’ll come back.” | Expressing confidence that someone will return despite leaving. |
| “Il a dit non. Et alors ? On demandera à quelqu’un d’autre.” | “He said no. So what? We’ll ask someone else.” | Not being discouraged by a refusal and seeking alternatives. |
| “Je suis fatigué. Et alors ? On se repose demain.” | “I’m tired. So what? We’ll rest tomorrow.” | Postponing rest to a later time despite being tired. |
| “Il n’est pas d’accord. Et alors ? On fera sans lui.” | “He doesn’t agree. So what? We’ll do it without him.” | Proceeding despite someone’s disagreement. |
| “J’ai perdu mes clés. Et alors ? J’ai un double.” | “I lost my keys. So what? I have a spare.” | Having a backup plan despite a mishap. |
| “Le magasin est fermé. Et alors ? On ira demain.” | “The store is closed. So what? We’ll go tomorrow.” | Postponing a task due to an obstacle. |
| “Il a critiqué mon travail. Et alors ? Je sais ce que je vaux.” | “He criticized my work. So what? I know my worth.” | Ignoring criticism and maintaining self-confidence. |
| “Nous avons manqué le bus. Et alors ? On marchera.” | “We missed the bus. So what? We’ll walk.” | Deciding to walk as an alternative to missing the bus. |
“Après ?” Examples
The following table contains example sentences using “Après ?“. This expression can be more direct and sometimes confrontational.
| French | English Translation | Context |
|---|---|---|
| “J’ai raté mon train. Après ?” | “I missed my train. So what?” | Directly dismissing the issue of missing the train. |
| “Je suis en retard. Après ?” | “I’m late. So what?” | Confrontationally dismissing the fact of being late. |
| “Il n’est pas d’accord. Après ?” | “He doesn’t agree. So what?” | Dismissing someone’s disagreement abruptly. |
| “Je n’ai pas d’argent. Après ?” | “I don’t have money. So what?” | Challenging the importance of not having money. |
| “Je suis fatigué. Après ?” | “I’m tired. So what?” | Dismissing one’s own fatigue. |
| “Elle est partie. Après ?” | “She left. So what?” | Dismissing someone’s departure. |
| “Il a dit non. Après ?” | “He said no. So what?” | Abruptly dismissing a refusal. |
| “J’ai perdu mes clés. Après ?” | “I lost my keys. So what?” | Directly dismissing the loss of keys. |
| “Le magasin est fermé. Après ?” | “The store is closed. So what?” | Dismissing the fact that the store is closed. |
| “Il a critiqué mon travail. Après ?” | “He criticized my work. So what?” | Confrontationally dismissing criticism. |
| “Nous avons manqué le bus. Après ?” | “We missed the bus. So what?” | Dismissing the issue of missing the bus. |
| “Tu as oublié mon anniversaire. Après ?” | “You forgot my birthday. So what?” | Abruptly dismissing the forgotten birthday. |
| “Le train est en retard. Après ?” | “The train is late. So what?” | Dismissing the train delay. |
| “Elle n’aime pas ma robe. Après ?” | “She doesn’t like my dress. So what?” | Dismissing someone’s opinion about the dress. |
| “J’ai échoué à l’examen. Après ?” | “I failed the exam. So what?” | Dismissing the exam failure. |
| “Il a dit ça. Après ?” | “He said that. So what?” | Abruptly dismissing what someone said. |
| “Nous n’avons plus de café. Après ?” | “We don’t have any more coffee. So what?” | Dismissing the lack of coffee. |
| “Il est fâché. Après ?” | “He’s angry. So what?” | Dismissing someone’s anger. |
| “Je n’ai pas envie d’y aller. Après ?” | “I don’t want to go. So what?” | Dismissing the need to go somewhere. |
| “Il pleut. Après ?” | “It’s raining. So what?” | Dismissing the fact that it’s raining. |
“Et puis ?” Examples
The following table contains example sentences using “Et puis ?“, which often carries a stronger tone of impatience or annoyance.
| French | English Translation | Context |
|---|---|---|
| “J’ai oublié d’acheter du lait, et puis ?” | “I forgot to buy milk, so what?” | Expressing impatience about forgetting milk. |
| “Je suis en retard, et puis ?” | “I’m late, so what?” | Expressing annoyance about being late. |
| “Il n’est pas d’accord, et puis ?” | “He doesn’t agree, so what?” | Expressing impatience about someone’s disagreement. |
| “Je n’ai pas d’argent, et puis ?” | “I don’t have money, so what?” | Expressing annoyance about not having money. |
| “Je suis fatigué, et puis ?” | “I’m tired, so what?” | Expressing impatience about being tired. |
| “Elle est partie, et puis ?” | “She left, so what?” | Expressing impatience about someone’s departure. |
| “Il a dit non, et puis ?” | “He said no, so what?” | Expressing annoyance about a refusal. |
| “J’ai perdu mes clés, et puis ?” | “I lost my keys, so what?” | Expressing impatience about losing keys. |
| “Le magasin est fermé, et puis ?” | “The store is closed, so what?” | Expressing annoyance about the store being closed. |
| “Il a critiqué mon travail, et puis ?” | “He criticized my work, so what?” | Expressing impatience about criticism. |
| “Nous avons manqué le bus, et puis ?” | “We missed the bus, so what?” | Expressing annoyance about missing the bus. |
| “Tu as oublié mon anniversaire, et puis ?” | “You forgot my birthday, so what?” | Expressing impatience about a forgotten birthday. |
| “Le train est en retard, et puis ?” | “The train is late, so what?” | Expressing annoyance about the train being late. |
| “Elle n’aime pas ma robe, et puis ?” | “She doesn’t like my dress, so what?” | Expressing impatience about someone disliking the dress. |
| “J’ai échoué à l’examen, et puis ?” | “I failed the exam, so what?” | Expressing impatience about failing the exam. |
| “Il a dit ça, et puis ?” | “He said that, so what?” | Expressing annoyance about what someone said. |
| “Nous n’avons plus de café, et puis ?” | “We don’t have any more coffee, so what?” | Expressing impatience about not having coffee. |
| “Il est fâché, et puis ?” | “He’s angry, so what?” | Expressing impatience about someone’s anger. |
| “Je n’ai pas envie d’y aller, et puis ?” | “I don’t want to go, so what?” | Expressing impatience about not wanting to go somewhere. |
| “Il pleut, et puis ?” | “It’s raining, so what?” | Expressing impatience about the rain. |
“Ça fait quoi ?” Examples
The following table contains example sentences using “Ça fait quoi ?“, which questions the impact or significance of something.
| French | English Translation | Context |
|---|---|---|
| “Si je ne viens pas à la fête, ça fait quoi ?” | “If I don’t come to the party, so what?” | Questioning the impact of not attending the party. |
| “Si j’oublie le pain, ça fait quoi ?” | “If I forget the bread, so what?” | Questioning the significance of forgetting the bread. |
| “S’il pleut, ça fait quoi ?” | “If it rains, so what?” | Questioning the impact of the rain. |
| “Si je suis en retard, ça fait quoi ?” | “If I’m late, so what?” | Questioning the significance of being late. |
| “S’il n’est pas d’accord, ça fait quoi ?” | “If he doesn’t agree, so what?” | Questioning the impact of someone’s disagreement. |
| “Si je n’ai pas d’argent, ça fait quoi ?” | “If I don’t have money, so what?” | Questioning the significance of not having money. |
| “Si je suis fatigué, ça fait quoi ?” | “If I’m tired, so what?” | Questioning the impact of being tired. |
| “Si elle est partie, ça fait quoi ?” | “If she left, so what?” | Questioning the significance of someone’s departure. |
| “S’il a dit non, ça fait quoi ?” | “If he said no, so what?” | Questioning the impact of a refusal. |
| “Si j’ai perdu mes clés, ça fait quoi ?” | “If I lost my keys, so what?” | Questioning the significance of losing keys. |
| “Si le magasin est fermé, ça fait quoi ?” | “If the store is closed, so what?” | Questioning the impact of the store being closed. |
| “S’il a critiqué mon travail, ça fait quoi ?” | “If he criticized my work, so what?” | Questioning the significance of criticism. |
| “Si nous avons manqué le bus, ça fait quoi ?” | “If we missed the bus, so what?” | Questioning the impact of missing the bus. |
| “Si tu as oublié mon anniversaire, ça fait quoi ?” | “If you forgot my birthday, so what?” | Questioning the significance of a forgotten birthday. |
| “Si le train est en retard, ça fait quoi ?” | “If the train is late, so what?” | Questioning the impact of the train being late. |
| “Si elle n’aime pas ma robe, ça fait quoi ?” | “If she doesn’t like my dress, so what?” | Questioning the significance of someone disliking the dress. |
| “Si j’ai échoué à l’examen, ça fait quoi ?” | “If I failed the exam, ça fait quoi ?” | Questioning the significance of failing the exam. |
| “S’il a dit ça, ça fait quoi ?” | “If he said that, so what?” | Questioning the impact of what someone said. |
| “Si nous n’avons plus de café, ça fait quoi ?” | “If we don’t have any more coffee, so what?” | Questioning the significance of not having coffee. |
| “S’il est fâché, ça fait quoi ?” | “If he’s angry, so what?” | Questioning the impact of someone’s anger. |
“Bof” Examples
The following table contains example sentences using “Bof“, which expresses indifference or a lack of enthusiasm.
| French | English Translation | Context |
|---|---|---|
| “Comment tu trouves ce film ? Bof.” | “How do you find this movie? So-so.” | Expressing indifference towards a movie. |
| “Tu aimes ce plat ? Bof.” | “Do you like this dish? So-so.” | Expressing a lack of enthusiasm for a dish. |
| “Qu’est-ce que tu penses de son idée ? Bof.” | “What do you think of his idea? So-so.” | Expressing indifference towards an idea. |
| “Ça te plaît ? Bof.” | “Do you like it? So-so.” | Expressing a lack of enthusiasm for something. |
| “Comment tu te sens aujourd’hui ? Bof.” | “How do you feel today? So-so.” | Expressing indifference towards one’s own feelings. |
| “Tu veux venir avec nous ? Bof.” | “Do you want to come with us? So-so.” | Expressing indifference towards an invitation. |
| “Tu as aimé le concert ? Bof.” | “Did you like the concert? So-so.” | Expressing a lack of enthusiasm for a concert. |
| “Tu trouves ça intéressant ? Bof.” | “Do you find it interesting? So-so.” | Expressing indifference towards something’s interest. |
| “Tu es content ? Bof.” | “Are you happy? So-so.” | Expressing indifference towards one’s own happiness. |
| “Tu veux essayer ? Bof.” | “Do you want to try? So-so.” | Expressing a lack of enthusiasm for trying something. |
| “Tu as aimé le livre ? Bof.” | “Did you like the book? So-so.” | Expressing indifference towards a book. |
| “Tu trouves ça beau ? Bof.” | “Do you find it beautiful? So-so.” | Expressing indifference towards something’s beauty. |
| “Tu es excité ? Bof.” | “Are you excited? So-so.” | Expressing indifference towards one’s own excitement. |
| “Tu veux regarder ce film ? Bof.” | “Do you want to watch this movie? So-so.” | Expressing a lack of enthusiasm for watching a movie. |
| “Tu as aimé la nourriture ? Bof.” | “Did you like the food? So-so.” | Expressing indifference towards the food. |
| “Tu trouves ça amusant ? Bof.” | “Do you find it fun? So-so.” | Expressing indifference towards something’s funniness. |
| “Tu es surpris ? Bof.” | “Are you surprised? So-so.” | Expressing indifference towards one’s own surprise. |
| “Tu veux goûter ? Bof.” | “Do you want to taste? So-so.” | Expressing a lack of enthusiasm for tasting something. |
| “Tu as aimé la musique ? Bof.” | “Did you like the music? So-so.” | Expressing indifference towards the music. |
| “Tu trouves ça important ? Bof.” | “Do you find it important? So-so.” | Expressing indifference towards something’s importance. |
Usage Rules and Context
The choice of which expression to use depends on the context and the desired tone. “Et alors ?” is generally safe and versatile. “Après ?” is more direct and can come across as rude if not used carefully. “Et puis ?” adds a layer of impatience or annoyance. “Ça fait quoi ?” is used to question the significance of something, while “Bof” is a simple interjection for expressing indifference.
Consider your relationship with the person you are speaking to. Using “Après ?” with a superior or someone you don’t know well might be considered disrespectful. “Bof” is generally informal and best used with friends or peers.
Also, pay attention to your tone of voice and body language. These expressions can be amplified by non-verbal cues.
A shrug, eye roll, or sarcastic tone can all change the meaning and impact of your words.
Common Mistakes
One common mistake is using “Quoi ?” as a direct translation of “so what.” While “Quoi ?” means “What?”, it’s typically used to ask for clarification or to express disbelief, not to convey indifference. Another mistake is using the expressions out of context, leading to misunderstandings or offense.
Another frequent error is misusing “Je m’en fous” (I don’t care) in situations where a milder expression of indifference is more appropriate. “Je m’en fous” is quite strong and can be considered vulgar, so it should be used carefully and only in informal settings.
Here’s a table showing some common mistakes and their corrections:
| Incorrect | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| “J’ai oublié mon livre. Quoi ?” | “J’ai oublié mon livre. Et alors ?” | “Quoi ?” is used for clarification, not indifference. |
| “Il pleut. Je m’en fous.” | “Il pleut. Et alors ?” | “Je m’en fous” is too strong for a simple situation like rain. |
| “Je suis en retard. Après ?” (said to a boss) | “Je suis en retard. Désolé(e).” | “Après ?” can be rude to a superior. Apologize instead. |
| “Comment tu trouves ma robe ? Bof (with a big smile).” | “Comment tu trouves ma robe ? Je l’aime bien.” | “Bof” contradicts a positive expression. |
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding with these practice exercises. Translate the English sentences into French using the appropriate expression for “so what.”
Exercise 1:
- I forgot to buy milk. So what?
- He doesn’t agree with me. So what?
- I’m late. So what?
- She left. So what?
- It’s raining. So what?
- I don’t have any money. So what?
- I’m tired. So what?
- He said no. So what?
- I lost my keys. So what?
- The store is closed. So what?
Exercise 2:
- What do you think of this movie? So-so.
- Do you like this dish? So-so.
- What do you think of his idea? So-so.
- Do you want to come with us? So-so.
- Did you like the concert? So-so.
- Do you find it interesting? So-so.
- Are you happy? So-so.
- Do you want to try? So-so.
- Did you like the book? So-so.
- Do you find it beautiful? So-so.
Exercise 3: Choose the most appropriate translation of “so what” for each context:
| Context | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Your friend tells you they missed the bus. | a) Et alors ? b) Après ? c) Bof | a) Et alors ? |
| Your boss tells you they are unhappy with your work ethic. | a) Et alors ? b) Après ? c) Ça fait quoi ? | (Appropriate response depends on the situation, but “Et alors?” could be considered disrespectful. “Ça fait quoi?” is not a good response in this context.) |
| Someone asks if you liked the food at a restaurant. | a) Et alors ? b) Après ? c) Bof | c) Bof |