/sa/
Translation
that, it (informal demonstrative pronoun)
Word origin
A colloquial contraction of cela ('that'), itself a compound of the demonstrative ce (from Latin ecce istum) and the adverb la (from Latin illac). It means 'that, this, it'.
- Origin
- Latin
- Root
- ecce istum + illac
Examples
, .
I'm doing well, thanks.
C' , .
That's it, exactly.
.
I don't like that at all.
, .
Here, take this before you leave.
, .
That, I don't want to hear about any more.
est la forme contractee de , le pronom demonstratif neutre du francais courant. Dans la langue parlee et dans les registres informels ecrits, ca a pratiquement supplante cela : on dit naturellement ca marche plutot que cela marche. Il s'emploie pour designer une idee, une situation ou un objet sans precision de genre, ce qui le rend extremement polyvalent.
L'erreur classique est de confondre ca avec sa (adjectif possessif feminin, comme dans sa voiture). En ecriture, la distinction est purement orthographique - a l'oral les deux sont homophones - mais une faute sur ca/sa dans un texte formel reste mal vue. Dans le registre soutenu, privilegiez cela a l'ecrit.
Where this fits
Used in
Stories
(9)Pas la même chose
2 min read · Core 1000
Cuisiner ensemble
3 min read · Core 1000
La fête surprise
3 min read · Core 1000
Le nouveau docteur
3 min read · Core 1000
Le premier jour de travail
3 min read · Core 1000
Un message pour Hélène
4 min read · Core 1000
Un voyage difficile
4 min read · Core 1000
Une rencontre au marché
4 min read · Core 1000
Pas devant les clients
5 min read · Core 1000
Grammar articles
(18)Comparing French Adverbs: plus vite, le mieux, and the Irregulars
Avoiding the Passive in French: on, se and the Active Recast
French Comparatives: plus, moins, aussi and the Three Irregulars
The French Conditional Perfect: j'aurais fait, elle serait venue
Conjugating French -ir Verbs in the Present Tense
Conjugating French -re Verbs in the Present Tense
French Demonstrative Pronouns: celui, celle, ceux, celles
Faire causatif: Having Things Done in French
French Greetings and Survival Phrases: Say Something Today
French Interrogatives: qui, que, où, quand, comment, pourquoi, combien, quel
Sequencing French Past Tenses: Passé Composé, Imparfait and Plus-que-parfait Together
laisser, voir and entendre + Infinitive in French
French Question Words: qui, que, quand, où, comment, pourquoi and the Three Ways to Ask
j'aurais dû, tu aurais pu: French Regrets and Reproaches
French Relative Pronouns After a Preposition: lequel, auquel, duquel
French Relative Pronouns: qui, que, dont, où and How to Glue Clauses Together
Reported Questions and Commands in French
The French Passive Voice (la voix passive)
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ça: worksheet, infographic and listicle
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