Today we’ll look the extremely useful and versatile French expression comme ça. The literal translation is “like that” and other translations include “like this” and “this way”.
Comme ça
Like That, this Way
Comme ça – Like That, This Way
Example sentences
In conversational French, you’ll hear quelque chose comme ça (something like that) very often.
C’est quelque chose comme ça mais je ne suis pas certain.
It’s something like that but I’m not sure.
For this next sentence, comme ça can translate to “like this” or “like that”. The adverb bien means well but in this sentence I’ve translated it to “correctly”.
Pour bien manger les pâtes, tiens ta fourchette comme ça.
Hold your fork like this to eat your pasta correctly.
For this next sentence, the translation of comme ça is “that way”.
Finis tes devoirs. Comme ça tu pourras jouer avec ton frère.
Finish your homework. That way you’ll be able to play with your brother.
The usage of comme ça changes a bit for this sentence. Translations here are “no reason” or “just because”. This lesson explains poser, which means to ask (a question) or to put.
Pourquoi est-ce que tu me poses cette question ? Non, comme ça.
Why are you asking me this question? – Oh, no reason.
In a completely separate usage, the expression comme ci, comme ça means so-so. I mentioned this on this lesson French greetings.
Salut Julie, ça va ? – Comme ci, comme ça.
Hi Julie! How’s it going? – So-so.
Conclusion
Et voilà ! Now you know how to use comme ça (like that) in French. Now check our another related useful lesson covering ça va (“How’s it going?” and “okay” in informal greetings).
