By Michelle Baumgartner Last updated: December 24, 2022

Here Are All the English Equivalents to “Quand Même” So You Can Use It Like a Natural

Quand même is like the chameleon of the French language.

It fits in just about anywhere.

Politely declining something? Yep.

Total sarcasm? Yep, that too.

And that’s just the start of it. Some uses of quand même even carry a certain soupçon (hint) of emotion. Whether it’s disappointment, annoyance or surprise, quand même can set the emotional tone of a sentence.

Which is why there isn’t really one concrete translation for quand même in English.

Instead, there are several English equivalents to this versatile phrase that can help you learn how to use it correctly in any context.

So let’s see why quand même is so indispensable, where to find examples of it and how to practice using it. Then we’ll take an in-depth look at the many ways we use quand même and their English equivalents.

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Why Is Quand Même Such an Important French Phrase?

While quand même is just one expression among many, it’s particularly useful for its versatility and the way it fits into both polite and casual conversations. Quand même is useful in lots of different contexts and can express many subtle shades of meaning, as you’ll see later in this article.

Once you learn how to use it, you’ll find yourself using it all the time—and noticing how often other French speakers use it, too. It’s a great way to make your French sound more natural and conversational.

Most of us who study a language strive to sound more like a native speaker. By understanding how to incorporate expressions like quand même into your repertoire, you’ll get closer to the goal of sounding more like someone who grew up speaking French.

Where to Practice Using Quand Même in Context

In order to use quand même correctly, it’s important to find lots of opportunities to encounter it and practice using it in real French contexts.

So where does quand même usually hang out?

Periodically, it’s used in periodicals, like Marie Claire and L’Obs. You’ll also find it in modern French fiction. Conversations between fictional characters, particularly in more contemporary works, often contain slang and idiomatic expressions that you can use in your own French conversations.

Mostly, though, you’ll encounter quand même in conversation… whether you’re talking with other French speakers or even kicking back and watching TV shows and movies.

That makes FluentU an especially useful tool to understand the many uses of quand même.

When you’re ready to incorporate quand même into your own French speech, you’ll need to have “live” conversations with native French speakers to grow as a francophone. Whether you have these conversations online or in person, they’ll give you the chance to hear quand même in context, with its many shades of meaning… and learn to use it naturally in your own speech.

What Is “Quand Même” in English? 7 Ways to Use This Essential French Phrase

Now that you know where to find quand même in context, let’s look at the different ways you can say quand même in English.

Even though the dictionary definition of quand même is usually just “nonetheless,” “nevertheless” or “all the same,” it can convey all sorts of sentiments.

These uses aren’t always logical. Like most idiomatic expressions, the best way to learn these is to commit them to your quand-même-ory.

1. Turning Down an Offer

English equivalents: Thanks, anyway/Thanks, but no thanks

A common way to use quand même is to preface it with merci (thanks).

The phrase “merci, quand même” can be used to turn down something that’s being offered to you. In English, we’d express this as “Thanks, anyway” or similar phrases.

Depending on your tone of voice (or how much you’re raising your eyebrows or rolling your eyes) it can be used courteously—or not.

Example:

Tu veux aller au cinéma ce soir? (Do you want to go to the movies this evening?)

Merci, quand même. Je vais rester chez moi—j’ai un examen demain matin, et il me faut étudier. (Thanks, anyway. I have to stay home—I have an exam tomorrow morning, and I’ve got to study.)

In one fell swoop, you’re graciously thanking your friend for the offer, and declining it just as politely.

Example:

Voulez-vous vous réveiller à 5h00 aller faire du jogging? (Do you want to get up at five in the morning to go jogging?)

Si le soleil dort, je devrais être endormi, aussi. Merci, quand même. (If the sun is sleeping, I should be sleeping, too. Thanks, anyway.)

In this case, you’re using quand même to extricate yourself from an early-morning run that sounds about as appealing as hitting yourself in the head repeatedly with a blunt object.

…Unless, of course, you’re a morning person, in which case you might reply:

J’aimerais mieux me réveiller à 3h30, pour que je puisse commencer tôt. Merci, quand même. (I’d rather get up at 3:30 a.m., so I can get an early start. Thanks, anyway.)

2. Explaining Something That’s Surprisingly True

English equivalents: Nonetheless/Nevertheless/Still

Quand même can be used to explain something that’s surprising, yet true. This usage often comes into play when someone has an unexpected quality or behavior that seems at odds with their image or reputation.

Example:

En dépit de son sale caractère, M. Grincheux est quand même consciencieux. (In spite of his foul temper, Mr. Crankypants is nonetheless conscientious.)

Everyone who knows Mr. Crankypants wouldn’t really expect him to be conscientious about anything. Yet he actually does care about doing quality work and helping people, and you have to give credit where it’s due—even if you wouldn’t want to share an office with him.

Example:

Bien que Jeanne est bavarde, elle est quand même repliée sur elle-même. (Even though Jeanne is talkative, she is still introverted.)

Introverts are often thought of as shy, silent types, so Jeanne’s loquaciousness seems to belie her introverted nature.

(Note that repliée sur elle-même literally means “folded upon herself.” It’s a more poetic way of saying introverti(e), introverted.)

3. Emphasizing with Slight Exasperation

English equivalents: Really/Oh, please

You can use quand même as a verbal eye roll. This use of quand même is sort of like “Oh, for goodness sake!” in English.

Example:

Quand même, il ne faut pas lui dire—il le sait bien déjà. (Really, you don’t need to tell him—he already knows it very well.)

In this case, you’re admonishing someone else for offering up obvious information to someone who won’t make the proper use of it anyway.

You’re somewhat chiding the other party for their behavior, when they should darn well know better.

4. Accentuating the Unflattering

English equivalent: Really (used for emphasis)

Put quand même at the end of a descriptive phrase to give it even more oomph. This construction is often used with insults.

Example:

Quelle feignante, quand même! (She is really a lazybones!)

You could also loosely translate this as “What an utter lazy person!”

Example:

Louis n’a pas partagé la nourriture gratuite avec sa famille? Quel égoïste, quand même! (Louis didn’t share the free food with his family? He is really a selfish person!)

Here, quand même brings in the speaker’s judgment of Louis’ actions, right on the heels of the initial astonishment that anyone could be so selfish.

Example:

Quelle surprise de te revoir, quand même! (It’s really a surprise to see you again!)

In this instance, quand même is just underscoring the speaker’s amazement. If you put more stress on the word “you,” however, a little insulting tone might creep in there.

5. Expressing Disappointment or Annoyance

English equivalents: Even so/All the same

When placed immediately after a verb in the conditional, quand même can give you the sense of “even so” in English—along with a dash of disappointment or annoyance that something possible and desirable wasn’t done.

Example:

Oui, le lave-vaisselle est en panne. Vous auriez quand même pu les laver à la main. (Yes, the automatic dishwasher is on the fritz. Even so, you might have hand-washed them.)

In this context, quand même shows that you’ve considered the obstacles to getting the dishes done, then decided that there was no excuse not to have washed the dishes by hand.

Example:

Je sais que tu as travaillé toute la journée. Tu aurais quand même pu me téléphoner hier soir. (I know that you worked all day. All the same, you could have called me yesterday evening.)

Again, the unspoken theme of “there’s no excuse” is carried into the conversation by the use of quand même.

6. Making a Point (or Stating the Obvious)

English equivalents: However

We’ve just looked at quand même as a guilt-provoking tool. Now we’ll see it used more objectively, without the disappointment and disapprobation.

Example:

Marie venait de loin. Elle aurait pu marcher, quand même. (Marie was coming from far away. However, she could have walked.)

Here, the speaker is observing that, although Marie was coming from a few miles away, it would’ve still been possible for her to walk that distance.

Example:

Bien sûr, Henri sait cuisiner. Il dîne parfois au restaurant, quand même. (Of course, Henry knows how to cook. However, he sometimes eats out at a restaurant.)

Sure, Henry’s a regular Julia Child or Cyril Lignac in the kitchen. But sometimes he’s too busy to enjoy his culinary skills, so he relies upon professional chefs to keep him fed.

7. Imagining Alternatives with Quand bien même

English equivalents: Even though/Even if

While not strictly the same as quand même, quand bien même is a related expression used to state what might (or might not) have happened under a certain set of circumstances.

It’s often used with the conditional.

Example:

Quand bien même Stéfane aurait été venu, je n’aurais pas dansé. (Even if Stephen had come, I would not have danced.)

Whether Stephen is a dream date or just a good friend and moral support, even his presence wouldn’t have been enough to drag me onto the dreaded dance floor.

In this context, quand bien même sets up the circumstances used to demonstrate just how serious the situation is.

As you can see, understanding quand même in English involves more than just a simple translation! This phrase is truly a worthy addition to your personal French lexicon.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)