That hits the spot!

[Marie Antoinette]

My father used to say when enjoying something to eat or drink, "Ça frappe la tâche," for "That hits the spot." He was an English professor so I know he was kidding but now that I am a French teacher myself I have wondered what would be a good equivalent expression in French.

 

[KnoxFrenchCoach]

I like your dad translation ,
but you can say

Ça passe bien!
or
C'est bon ça!

 

[BlackMonkey]

I don't know any french equivalent for this phrase. When enjoying food one could say "ça fait du bien par où ça passe" but that don't really convey the same meaning.

 

[BlackMonkey]

"Faire mouche" means "hitting the spot" but you don't use it when enjoying food...
It's more about reaching a target.

 

[wildan1]

C'était juste ce qu'il me fallait !

 

[ain'ttranslationfun?]

Actually we usually say this just after a meal or drinking something: "That hit the spot!"

 

[wildan1]

Mmm, not always, ain't. On a very hot day after some vigorous exercise, I think I would say that right after the first gulp of a nice, cold beer... That hits the spot!

 

[ain'ttranslationfun?]

Mmm, not always, ain't. On a very hot day after some vigorous exercise, I think I would say that right after the first gulp of a nice, cold beer... That hits the spot!

Well, I did say "usually" (not "always")...

 

[Marie Antoinette]

Actually we usually say this just after a meal or drinking something: "That hit the spot!"

You are right about that!

 

[Marie Antoinette]

Mmm, not always, ain't. On a very hot day after some vigorous exercise, I think I would say that right after the first gulp of a nice, cold beer... That hits the spot!

You are right, too!

 

[ain'ttranslationfun?]

Glad to see you're keeping a level head about suggestions, Marie! (And Bienvenue!)

 

[Marie Antoinette]

Glad to see you're keeping a level head about suggestions, Marie! (And Bienvenue!)

Merci, ça me fait du bien!

 

[Itisi]

'Ça fait l'affaire' ?

 

[ain'ttranslationfun?]

Hi, Itisi, Your example is in the present, but - I'm not sure about this - mightn't "Ça fera l'affaire!" mean "That'll do it/the job!"?

 

[Tony917]

"c'etait bien bon"

 

[Marie Antoinette]

How about, "Ça a fait l'affaire," to keep it in the past tense per Ain't?

 

[Tony917]

Ca a fait l'affaire / ca fait l'affaire pourrait aller mais je me demande si on ne le dirait pas plutôt pour un repas "moyen".

 

[Marie Antoinette]

I like your dad translation ,
but you can say

Ça passe bien!
or
C'est bon ça!

Thank you, Knox. "C'est bon ça," rings true for what he was conveying.

 

[Itisi]

Your example is in the present

Well, 'that hits the spot' is in the present!

 

[ain'ttranslationfun?]

Ca a fait l'affaire / ca fait l'affaire pourrait aller mais je me demande si on ne le dirait pas plutôt pour un repas "moyen".

For this, I'd just say "It'll do."

Well, 'that hits the spot' is in the present!

But my comment (#8) wasn't.

 

[Marie Antoinette]

Ca a fait l'affaire / ca fait l'affaire pourrait aller mais je me demande si on ne le dirait pas plutôt pour un repas "moyen".

It was a good meal, what there was of it. I mean, there was a lot of food, such as it was.

 

[ain'ttranslationfun?]

It was a good meal, what there was of it. I mean, there was a lot of food, such as it was.

I understand this post as giving two different proposals, the first referring to the size of the meal, the second to the quality of the food - right?

 

[Marie Antoinette]

I understand this post as giving two different proposals, the first referring to the size of the meal, the second to the quality of the food - right?

It was another of my father's jokes because in both statements what is supposed to be a compliment is really an insult.

 

[Tony917]

Ca fait l'affaire : tan en qualité qu'en quantité sera a mon avis interprété suivant le ton de la personne.
Il y a des tonnes d'expressions que l'on peut dire quand on apprécie un repas donc chacun a un peu les siennes:
En quantité : Ca nourrit son homme! - je suis plein!
En qualité J'ai déjà entendu : C'etait bien bon!, on en redemanderait! ca passe bien! etc

Une vielle expression qui me vient en tête mais ne suis pas sur qu'elle colle au contexte "faire bonne chere" a voir.. plus d'idée :-(

 

[Chimel]

When enjoying food one could say "ça fait du bien par où ça passe" but that don't really convey the same meaning.

Yes it does! Ça fait du bien par où ça passe is surely what I would say when drinking fresh beer on a hot day, like in Wildan's example #7.

It might be less relevant after a good meal, as the expression is only used in the present tense. But obviously, if you've just finished eating, everyone will understand what you're refering to.

 

[BlackMonkey]

Yes it does! Ça fait du bien par où ça passe is surely what I would say when drinking fresh beer on a hot day, like in Wildan's example #7.

Right, but what I meant is "That hit the spot" means more "it fulfilled my needs" rather than "it felt good".

 

[Marie Antoinette]

Thank you, everybody, I can now express myself in French saying that I enjoyed something in the past, future and present tense. C'est bon ça!