French phrase of the Day: Tout ca pour ca
Briefly

The phrase 'Tout ça pour ça' translates to 'all that for this' in French, commonly used to convey disappointment when efforts do not match results. It reflects a cultural sentiment often paired with gestures like shrugs, underscoring a French way of expressing being underwhelmed. The phrase also titles a Claude Lelouch film, aligning with its theme of complexity overshadowing simplicity. Examples illustrate its usage in daily conversations, allowing learners to adopt a local touch in their French communication.
It's a neat little shorthand way of expressing disappointment, and it's often followed by a shrug, a grimace or a hein? - in short it's a very French feeling.
Tout ça pour ça - roughly pronounced as too-sah-por-sah - literally translates as 'all that for this'. It's used when the amount of effort made or noise produced is disproportionate to what is actually achieved.
Read at The Local France
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