👉 See lesson covering autrement dit (in other words) »
Level B1 (Intermediate)
The French Word of the Day is c’est-à-dire — a phrase meaning “that is to say” or “in other words.” It’s used to clarify or restate something in a simpler way.
Pronunciation
Meaning
Example sentences
Related words
Pronunciation
Meaning
C’est-à-dire is a phrase you’ll often hear when someone wants to elaborate or explain something more clearly. It means “that is to say” or “in other words.”
For example, “Demain est un nouveau jour, c’est-à-dire un nouveau départ” (Tomorrow is a new day — in other words, a new beginning.)
Example sentences
Le film commence a dix-neuf heures, c’est-à-dire dans dix minutes.
The movie starts at 7 p.m., that is to say, in ten minutes.
Il est polyglotte, c’est-à-dire qu’il parle plusieurs langues.
He’s a polyglot, that is to say, he speaks several languages.
Je pars en vacances en basse saison, c’est-à-dire en avril et mai.
I go on vacation in the low season, that is to say, in April and May.
Je devrais réduire mes dépenses, c’est-à-dire dépenser un peu moins d’argent.
I should cut my spending — that is, spend a little less money.
Words related to c’est-à-dire
- soit – that is / namely (formal/written)
- autrement dit – in other words
- en d’autres termes – in other terms
- à savoir – namely / specifically
- je veux dire – I mean
- en clair – plainly / clearly speaking
- plus précisément – more precisely
- notamment – notably / especially (not a full synonym, but related in clarifying tone)
Continue your French learning adventure!
Now that you’ve learned how to use c’est-à-dire, explore our full French Word of the Day series. You may also enjoy our French vocabulary page.
