36 Comments
1749
"Comme ça" as "like that" is awkward here. A more natural expression in English is "That way" and it is accepted.
- 1749
It's the same sense. Here are some of the possibilities that WordReference offers: in this way - like that - like this - on impulse - that way - this - this way - like so - way - for fun - for the fun of it - for the hell of it - Have it your way - how it is - It is all for the best - just like that - keep it up - keep up the good work - off the top of your head - rock on - scot-free - so-so - Such is life - that being so. Why do I mention this? Because we don't need two dozen different ways to translate "comme ça". We can come up with more without trying too hard. Keep it simple.
The French love to use "Comme ça", it's used all the time and not ackward like in English. Donc CSI, je ne suis pas d'accord parce que il me semble que "In that case" = "dans ce cas". COMME CA can be used either on its own or in a phrase. For example, "you take out the trash, I'll do the dishes; COMME CA we'll get the house clean before Maude comes home". 2ème usage, par ex: "Ton mari est vraiment PARTI au milieu de la nuit!?" to which you might reply with resignation: "Ba oui, comme ça".
In the eastern United States, at least,"Like that" is often taken to mean ''in an instant''; e.g: ''say 'bomb' in an airport and the cops will be on you like that''. so I would choose another option unless that sort of immediacy seemed to make sense
I said " I can go with you" which was not accepted. Because it wanted me to say "I can accompany you" or "I can come with you". It seems to me that accompany in English means "go with you" or "come with you"
You're exactly right. In an earlier sentence in this same lesson, they did accept "go with" for "accompagner" (it's also one of their suggested translations). The inconsistency gets tiresome. (In my opinion, English speakers vary a bit from one to the other on using go/come, take/bring; it's beyond frustrating to be told that the kind of thing one says frequently is 'incorrect'!)
I agree - why is "join you" not accepted? This is the most likely word I would choose to use in this context as a native English speaker.
I disagree. "Accompany" has the connotation of "going with" and becoming "a team". I can ask to join a couple at a table in a restaurant because there is nowhere else to sit and I need to eat inow comfort. But I would not say I was accompanying them. I would just be sitting at the same table as they. I would not be with them.
I agree it would sound better to say "that way",but then we have "De cette façon" for that...
If "de cette façon" and "comme ça" are materially different from each other, can you kindly explain what the "comme ça" (probably) means here? I mean, can you think of a context where it would be natural? Is it something like, "If Isabelle sits in the front seat, and we put this in the trunk, the three of us will fit in the back--Comme ça, je peux vous accompagner." Does that work at all?
To me, "accompany" has a more intimate, formal feeling being expressed - "complement" or "escort". "I can come with you" seems more casual. I think this sentence (and "accompagner") is going for the former over the latter.
I don't understand what "like that" refers to in this sentence. Like what exactly? Is the sense here "straight away, I can accompany you"?
I am not sure that what Duo had wanted to train us in is Like that. Just look at the quotation yonder from Larousse:
[en intensif]
- alors comme ça, tu te maries ? (oh) so you're getting married ?
- où vas-tu comme ça ? where are you off to ?
So this might've been the so that Duo had had on his mind, but later on someone, in a last ditch attempt, insisted that his translation should be accepted, it was - et voilà!
- 803
Just like that is also more natural and what I thought was one of the usages of comme ça. However, Duo rejects it.
I was imagining someone snapping there fingers and saying "Like that! I can accompany you." As though it was a matter of ease. Although I thought it a bit odd that this expression would be said in French also. *sigh I suppose 'That way' then, 'That way' it is.
No. "To guide" is to give direction, which is different from "to accompany". When you accompany someone, you simply go with that person as a companion.
- 404
I tried 'thus' and it was rejected. Isn't it right, though? I was being a bit impish, I admit!
I tried "Like that, I can keep you company" - which seemed like another interpretation, but it was rejected.
Can anyone suggest how "I can keep you company" would be translated in French?
If "comme ca" is an idiomatic expression the prompts should give better hints (or at least additional options). "Like that" makes little sense in this context. Does anyone have a more helpful translation?
Do you read the thread before posting? I highly recommend it because if you had, you would have found your answer and not even needed to ask. More than ten different translations have been given. Even the very first post suggested a different translation.
I'm having truble figuring out when I should use "comme" and when i should use "comment". What's the difference?
Bookmarking a dictionary so you can easily look up definitions is helpful when you need answers to questions like this that you can research yourself. You can learn so much more looking up words than you could just from a rushed one word translation:
Definition of comment: http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/french-english/comment
Definition of comme: http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/french-english/comme
