French word

ça

Pronunciation

IPA/sa/

Meaning

  • pronounthis

Example

Ça, c'est une pomme.

This is an apple.

Illustration for ça (this)

More examples

Je prends ça, s'il vous plaît.

I'll take that, please.

Core concept

A verbal finger pointing to something currently in the shared conversation, whether concrete or abstract.

Common phrases

  • avec ça

    with that

  • prendre ça

    take that

Similar words

cela: A somewhat formal pronoun for pointing to a person or thing under discussion.

Definition in French

Désigne une chose ou une situation présentée dans la conversation.

Word origin

Ça developed as a contraction of cela, whose older form combines ce, a demonstrative, with là, meaning there.

Usage tips

  • In "C'est ça !", ça confirms that an answer, object, or interpretation is correct and means "That's it!".

Other meanings

  • thatpronoun

Word lists with this word