The Real Meaning of Quand Même for English Speakers 

Once a Frenchman said to me, "Mais vous parlez très bien le français, quand même, pour une anglophone", and I answered "Merci, quand même!". Basically he said that my French was ok despite me being an English-speaking person, and I sort of sarcastically thanked him for the backhanded compliment.

"Nevertheless" is probably the closest expression in English that covers most of the examples you have given in French.

"All the same" seems the best translation for "quand même".

In English, you can use 'all the same' in all the example sentences, very often at the end of the phrase. 'you'll eat them all the same', 'you did your best all the same' 'I'm French, but I still make mistakes all the same' 'All the same, you're not going to swim the Atlantic are you?' 'Arriving an hour late is not nice, all the same' etc etc etc. It has all the varieties of meaning that quand même has in French.

Best English translation for this is "Even So". or maybe "in any case", "just the same".

"still" works for all of these examples, and that's how i usually interpret the phrase.

“Even still” is a good translation in many instances.

In English, I would translate this as "just the same". "Merci quand meme= Thanks just the same."

It’s funny how in Chilean Spanish (maybe in other varieties too, but this is the one I speak) all instances of “quand même” can be translated into the word “igual” as in “igual no está bien llegar una hora tarde” or “igual no te comiste todo el Camembert, ¿o sí?” Or “igual no me esperaba eso” or “igual es raro eso” etc. The interesting part is that the direct translation of “même” in Spanish is “mismo” which is very close in meaning with “igual” (égal in French)... so basically we use sister words to express kind of the same thing.

We'd say "all the same" in Ireland. These vids are great thanks.

The only way I can remember this is "all the same". Because that's the English equivalent that uses the French word "meme", meaning "same". I have always learned languages by finding the nearest connection I can find between the "foreign" word and English. So now I know how to use the phrase, and better how I will understand it when I hear or read it.

I understand it as 'despite everything'. For me, the trickiest to understand is when after someone has expressed an opinion the other one goes 'quand meme' with emphasis!

Quand même is the best friend of Du coup 🤣

In the Camembert example, the meaning in English could be "surely", as an incredulity, to imply "it's not possible!" or "you couldn't have" or "please tell me you didn't..." or "please reassure me that you did not..." "You have not eaten ALL the Camembert, surely!" "Surely you have not eaten ALL of it!"

"At the same time" is probably the closest for preserving form and meaning

“Even so”

I haven't finished the video but my first thought is that it translate into something like "at the same time" So her first example would be "He's very nice, but at the same time he talks a lot."

"Comme meme" me fait dresser les cheveux sur la tête ! Thanks Geraldine, for the great content

I agree that "even so" or "nevertheless" works for your 1st category, to do with contradictions, but after that the usage varies too much for a single translation, as you say. Another very helpful lesson, at least to know that it's OK to find it confusing!

Ah ouais!! You, Madame, are a fantastic french teacher. I wish you would've been my french teacher at the University of McGill, in Québec, Canada. Merci!!

Thanks for breaking things down in this terrific video! I had no idea "quand meme" had so many uses!

Thank you for explaining, Geraldine. It makes perfect sense to me. 😊

Thank you for explaining the concept so simple

Geraldine, in English one would say “ Tell me you’re not going to swim across the Atlantic. Are you?” Not “Aren’t you?”

As James Hopkins says, 'nevertheless' also works well as a translation.

Love this expression! Well explained! Thank you!

My understanding of the expression was taught to me by my Mother, who didn't learn English until she was 10 years old. That the closest meaning was in the way that we add the word "Anyway" into a sentence, replacing the word "But", This can have a positive or negative meaning depending on the inflection in the voice, for example, surprise or anger. Sometimes, if my Mother was upset that something hadn't gone to plan, she would simply say "Quand meme", but we knew by the inflection that she wasn't happy, and probably a good idea to steer clear for a bit.

Really excellent lesson/sharing. Many thanks.

Thank you for always including an example and repeating it twice. Your videos are very helpful and i always learn something from them.

Wow...very thorough explanation, Geraldine. I never realized how versatile those two words could be. In my experience, it’s only by total immersion in the language that you can truly get a handle on it. À force de l’entendre dans le langage courant, on s’y habitue et on apprend l’usage car ce n’est pas évident, quand même !

This is a huge help, I've struggled with quand meme for years!

Merci beaucoup pour les bonnes explications. T'es super compréhensive!

First time seeing you. You're so good. You're such a good teacher. I'm so glad you repeat with expression in the way I might hear it in normal life. C'est quand meme bien. Quand meme, c'est bien. (One of these, i think says it.)

Great session! Thanks so much.

THANKYOU so much. this is the best explanation I have heard

So I have to tell you this is a really been on my mind for so long and I love all your explanations thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you

Oh we have a phrase in my language that is contextually used the same way! This made it easier for me to grasp the usage! Merci!

Merci Geraldine, vous m'avez beaucoup aidé avec cette vidéo.

Also, “nevertheless”.

Thanks a lot Géraldine

Thank you so much for this!

Thank you for explaining this particular phrase. It's one I've thought about for a long time. Seems like it could be used in almost any sentence! lol

Wow! "Quand meme" means (can be used) so much! A lot to learn.

Very helpful lesson!

Je pense que cette video est genial. Il y a beacoup a apprendre. Merci pour m'aider.

This video was quand meme very helpful! ;)

Now I understand that it's used to demonstrate contradiction somehow.. Thanks for your explanation

i always use "all the same" as the translation colloquially as we dont usually say nevertheless all the time

It usually means "even though" or "even then" or "anyway" or "can't believe you actually" - in negative sense" or "however."

Fabuleuse comme d'habitude. Pourtant, a 3:20 - est-ce que c'est possible que ça va mieux, "Quand même, arriver une heure de retard, c'est pas sympa"... comme "Come on, arriving an hour late isn't nice"? Et Le train s'est arrêté, qu'est-que je peux faire ? I am certainly not going to hitchhike".

When expressing a contradiction, ‘quand meme’ can also be translated into English as “all the same”: “Merci quand meme !” = Thanks all the same!

Merci beaucoup pour le vidéo . I love French language and I try to learn it but yeah thank for made the good videos for us,I'll follow and like for your channel.

Thank you! Now I know why no one was willing to explain it to me!

One of those very difficult idioms to master. Thank you for the excellent explanation and examples. FYI An English speaker would say "you're not going to swim across the Atlantic are you" or "You're going to swim across the Atlantic aren't you " (which have opposite meanings! )Thus avoiding a double negative which is confusing. Keep up the excellent work.

J’adore les pièces mexicains que vous avez sur les étagères !

Merci beaucoup! I hear it all the time here in France but no one has been able to translate it fully as you have here. Now, how to remember or use all this...

I usually think of it as the English “even so”.

yes here she abled to wide up on this verb quand meme thanks my sister.

I go for “at the same time” for english and “a la vez” en español.

For the indignation, it is equivalent to when we say “seriously?” In English. As on you can’t believe it.

I would say 'even so', 'all the same' and 'nevertheless' would probably cover all of the uses of 'quand même'. It 's a surprisingly useful expression.

There IS a very clear English translation of quand même: “still” or “but, still”. You can literally use the word “still” in almost all those examples in english and it would be perfectly correct and understandable.

merci pour ces examples :)

Quand même... could also use ‘even so’ or ‘even though’, or ‘all the same’. Love your lessons!💕😘🇬🇧➡️🇫🇷

Could you make a video about how and when to use “si”? Thanks - love your videos .

This is so complex but this was so good!

Sans pareille! C'est comme je décris votre vidéo! Que Dieu vous bénisse! Je vous en remercie de tout mon coeur! Salut

Très utile. Merci.

This video reminds me of linguist John McWhorter’s discussion of the use of “even” in English, as in “I invited him to my party and he didn’t *even* come.” Or, “I’ve studied French for 5 years and didn’t *even* know that word.” It’s something you insert for emphasis, to express that something didn’t happen as you’d expect it to, and that you’re disappointed or surprised by it. Used in this way “even” isn’t really translatable in itself, but its presence in the sentence adds nuance to the speaker’s emotion. Quand meme is different, but it seems like it’s a similar type of thing.

However, whenever (but for me the closest is 'nevertheless') all have flavours / shades of quand meme. Etymologically, the literal "when same" is almost a verbatim translation "when ever" if you accept the close equivalence of ever = constant (especially over time) = same = even = level = not greater = not smaller = not less = never the less etc they all boil down to the same core concept: never the less = always equal = always the same = when same. Notwithstanding all that, English has dozens of phrases which map onto the sublety of use of the French quand meme. And if I'm wrong....whatever... :)

It can also be pretty close to "however" most of the times , in English.

'Even so' seems to be an appropriate translation.

Merci.... Bonjour de Grèce.. 🙏❤️❤️❤️

Here in the US we use a phrase 'just the same' which sounds similar.

'de todos modos' also works for most examples in spanish

Excellent lesson as always Geraldine. Can you explain the placement of "quand même in a sentence and when it can fit in multiple places?

My in laws say quand même all the time and finally I understand now. Can you also do one for “dit donc”? That’s another one they say all day long and I never understand

Bonjour. J'apprends l'anglais du coup en vous écoutant ! ^^ c'est intéressant vous nous faites nous rendre compte a nous, francophones, des bizarreries du Français que les étranger subissent, sans que nous nous en rendions compte. Je suis plutôt très au fait des difficultés que rencontrent les espagnols avec le français (surtout pour la prononciation, par exemple, ils n'arrivent pas a prononcer différemment "dessus" et "dessous") mais je n'avais que peu d'idées précises sur les difficultés que rencontrent les anglophones.

Merci

Merci pour un autre vidéo très très très utile et bien expliqué. "Quand même " me rappele le verbe "to get" en anglais américain. On peut l'utiliser souvent et il a plusieurs sens. Salut du Vermont 😀🍁

Another excellent video, thanks! Very very small point - at 3.04, we'd say "You're not going to swim across the Atlantic Ocean, are you?" Rather than "aren't you"? Apologies if this has already been picked up, I haven't read all the comments

Bonjour, hello, It seems to me important to precise that "Quand même" is the abbreviation of "quand bien même" (which could be translated by "Despite the fact" or "Even though") which is usually the start of a sentence to significate that a contradiction will be announced. For exemple in a conversation, someone you wait says you: - "Désolé si j'arrive en retard, mais je n'habite pas à côté !". ("Sorry if I'm late, but I don't live next door !") Normally you should answer: - "Quand bien même, tu avais un long trajet pour venir jusqu'ici, il t'appartenait de te lever plus tôt pour être à l'heure." ("Even though you have a long drive to get here, it was up to you to get up earlier to be on time."). "Quand même" is so a good term to abreviate this same sentence. Cause it will replace "you have a long drive to get here" Which suddenly is implied. So you just have to answer: - "Quand même, tu aurais pu te lever plus tôt pour être à l'heure". (Still, you'd have woken up earlier to be on time.) Merci beaucoup "Comme une française" d'aider ainsi tous ces gens qui désirent apprendre notre langue. :)

I think of quand meme as a way of emphasizing whatever is being said. Emphasizing the surprising aspect of something. Like, "My car might be ugly, but quand meme is it ever fast!

En tant que Français, je voudrais mettre en garde contre le fait de ne pas dire NE dans le langage parlé. 1. Mange pas tout le camembert ! 2. Ne mange pas tout le camembert ! La phrase 1 peut s'employer en famille, à la rigueur, ou bien si on parle vite, ou si on est énervé ou entre copains. C'est du français relâché, c'est incorrect et ça ne passe pas dans un contexte un peu formel. La vraie forme, celle qui ne choque pas l'oreille, celle qu'on apprend à l'école, c'est la tournure numéro 2. On nous enseigne longuement que la negation c'est ne...pas, ne...plus, ne...jamais. Aussi je nencouragerais jamais quelqu'un à laisser tomber le 'ne'. 1. Tu dois pas faire ça. (Français populaire). 2. Tu ne dois pas faire ça. (Français correct). Des parents un peu responsables utiliseront la formule 2 pour parler à leur enfant. Bonne journée et merci.

Hi Geraldine, I think “Quand Même” could also be thought of in English, as “really” or “seriously”. As in “you don’t seriously expect me to walk there” or “How long will you be staying? Two more weeks, “ Ah, quand même” [ this being with a negative connotation] or “ Oh really?”. Just a thought.

Sometimes it serves as ' however', sometimes it serves as ' anyway'

Merci beacoup!!!

Ah ouais, quand même ! Sushant, from India.

I would agree with the other comments. "Even so" can be used in most of these examples - even if it sounds a bit strange or out of place - and is the nearest English equivalent.

OMG! French is so META! It's almost as if spoken French developed AFTER written French 🤣

One should look at the etymology of the words going back to Latin. Quand may be “when” but it also originally included a meaning like “because”. Next, Même derived from an emphatic use of pronoun ”I “ with “the very same.” So, Quand même has basically derived from « because for ME it’s the very same”. Over time this has morphed into similar meaning such as “it makes no difference to me” which is similar to “all the same.” The meaning of “Nevertheless” derives from “despite all facts and all time” or Nonetheless: “despite some event or particular facts”. So in spoken language, one can understand how the young and the less literate might evolve to confuse the difference between these expressions in various contexts. Think about the word “still” meaning fixed, motionless, etc, which is similar to “always the same.” People hear an expression in a certain context and reuse the expression (for lack of better words) in some other context that is a little different. Voila! Quand même.

Hello gorgeous Géraldine, I think the correct translation of “tu ne vas pas traverser…” would be “You’re not going to swim…,ARE YOU? “ and not “aren’t you?”

interesting lesson, i was not aware how versitile the expression was, however, surly you can not drop the ne when using ne (plus verb) que

EXCELLENT. MERCI.

Actually "quand meme" translates into English fairly easily as "at the same time" as a current argument. Example: I like to be warm but "at the same time" I don't want to burn wood. Or... I like to watch football but "at the same time" it's too expensive to go to the match.

I have a (probably irrational) annoyance with the expression “untranslatable” when people say something is untranslatable and then proceed to translate it. Translatable doesn’t mean Word for Word, like one word equal to one other word, it’s describing a sense of something, a larger or subtler meaning etc. Everything is translatable, as this comment section has shown :)

I’ve seen quand meme defined as ‘Seriously?!’ Which it totally fits in some of the sentences

En France, j'ai entendu très souvent "quand même". Pour moi, un équivalent pourrait être "anyway" en anglais. Et aussi pour exprimer surprise, comme vous indiquez, "Marie, quand même!" :)

Thanks all the same. 😉😎

i love your print in the background! where is it from??