In a quiz, it said: Tu as bientôt fini ?
All of the choices for translation indicated were in future tense. Should it be Tu VAS ?
Look at these sentences:
Ça y est, elle a enfin réussi ses exams!
That's it, she finally passed her exams!
Tu as fini ton repas? - Oui, ça y est!
Have you finished your meal? - Yes, it's done!
Ça a pris du temps, mais ça y est, j'ai mes billets pour Mamma Mia!
It took time, but that's it, I've got my tickets for Mamma Mia!
In French, the expression "ça y est" (literally 'that is there') is used to emphasise a sense of relief after an action's been completed : that's it, it's done, finally!
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Q&A Forum 5 questions, 15 answers
Hi Carole
If this refers to a particular quiz, can you use your 'Report It' button on your correction board as it will link directly to that quiz and make it easier for us to look at your query.
EmmaKwiziq community member
It would be great for Carole to discuss it here too, as we all may make the same mistake.
CaroleKwiziq community member
Unfortunately, I don't know how to find the particular quiz, so it's a dead issue for me!
Carole asked:View original
think i found a typo
In a quiz, it said: Tu as bientôt fini ?
All of the choices for translation indicated were in future tense. Should it be Tu VAS ?
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RantKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
restaurant
Would it be inappropriate to say 'ça y est' at a restaurant when they ask you if you have finished your meal? Or would that sound like you are saying it was difficult to finish, but I finally did it (perhaps being offensive)?
Asked 1 year ago
Hi Rant,
No, you wouldn't use 'ça y est' in a restaurant to say you have finished your meal , I would use 'c'est bon, merci'.
Hope this helps!
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
I don't think that would be an appropriate response, particularly since it is a kind of expression used when something you've been waiting for finally arrives. You could, maybe, use it in an impolite way when the waiter brings you the dish you have been long waiting for.
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
Rant asked:View original
restaurant
Would it be inappropriate to say 'ça y est' at a restaurant when they ask you if you have finished your meal? Or would that sound like you are saying it was difficult to finish, but I finally did it (perhaps being offensive)?
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PaulKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Is there a past tense for "Ça y est" using "Ça y etais = That's it, It was done"
Asked 2 years ago
LauraKwiziq team member
Bonjour Paul, Yes. Since "est" is the third person singular of être, you can use this expression in any tense by conjugating être accordingly.
Ça y était (t at the end, not s)
Ça y a été
Ça y sera
etc.
Ça y était (t at the end, not s)
Ça y a été
Ça y sera
etc.
PaulKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
That's very helpful Laura, thank you.
I listen to French language radio everyday (from Quebec) and I hear something like "Ça y était" or "Ça a été" spoken frequently. Can you please help me understand their usage, and are they pronounced the same?
LauraKwiziq team member
They're not pronounced quite the same.
Ça y était = [sa je te]
Ça a été = [sa a e te]
On their own, the meaning is very similar - it was ok, it worked out. I'll ask Aurélie, who is a native speaker, to respond in detail.
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Paul !
Though you can technically conjugate this expression in past tenses (thanks Laura !), you will never really use it in other contexts than the present.
Indeed, "ça y est" expresses some kind of immediate relief after an action been completed, hence its strong link with the present.
You could possibly encounter "ça y était" in indirect speech, when reported someone's words, but none of the other forms would be used by a native (including the future).
I hope that's helpful!
Aurélie
AurélieKwiziq team member
As for the nuance of meaning between "ça a été" and "ça y était", I must disagree, it's two different expressions, with different meanings and uses:
- Like I said above, "ça y était", means either literally "it/this was there" or, just like "ça y est", it can mean "here it was/it was done/I was done" in a context of indirect speech.
- "Ça a été" literally means "it's been/it was", and as a fixed expression is used to express "it's been ok/it was ok", like at the restaurant for example:
Serveur: Ça a été ? (It's been fine? / How was it?)
Client: Oui, très bien merci.
I hope that's helpful!
Bonne journée !
PaulKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Thank you Aurélie and Laura for your helpful answers. I do remember being asked "ça y été" in restaurants in France. I shall listen more carefully to the radio and try to figure out the context.
Paul asked:View original
Is there a past tense for "Ça y est" using "Ça y etais = That's it, It was done"
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Kwiziq community member
There it is
I'm not a native english speaker, but isn't "there it is" (which is given as an incorrect option in the quiz) also used as an expression of relief, just like "finally" or "that's it" or "there you go", depending on the context?
Asked 2 years ago
Ron Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Bonjour Daniel,
In a word the answer is yes. For example, I am in the garage looking for an item. I spot the item and then I might say «there it is» and that would, indeed, be an expression of relief.
J'espère que cela vous aiderait.
Bonne chance.
Kwiziq community member
I made the same mistake again in this quiz. "Here it is" and "That's it" look like synonyms to me in some situations. Can someone please make the answers less similar?
Daniel asked:View original
There it is
I'm not a native english speaker, but isn't "there it is" (which is given as an incorrect option in the quiz) also used as an expression of relief, just like "finally" or "that's it" or "there you go", depending on the context?
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JohnnyKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
ça y est vs. c'est fait
Would you please tell me the difference between "ça y est" and "c'est fait" and when to use which? Both appear to mean "It's done." Thanks.
Asked 3 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Johnny ! Actually, French people would often say "Ça y est, c'est fait !" together like this! While "c'est fait" literally means "it's done" in a matter of fact way, "ça y est" is more of an expression of relief or satisfaction at the realisation or completion of an action. You will use "ça y est" when you finally got somewhere, or when someone finally manages to fix something.... The key word here is "finally". In a similar way to "Ça y est", you can also use the versatile "Voilà". I hope that's helpful! À bientôt !
Johnny asked:View original
ça y est vs. c'est fait
Would you please tell me the difference between "ça y est" and "c'est fait" and when to use which? Both appear to mean "It's done." Thanks.
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