French · Greetings & Essentials
"Long time no see" in French: ça fait longtemps !
ça fait longtemps !
Long time no see in French is ça fait longtemps ! You say it when you meet someone after a gap. Ça fait longtemps qu'on ne s'est pas vus is the fuller version.
Street run-in
Hé ! Ça fait longtemps !Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce ça fait longtemps !
Say it
sa feh lohn-TAHN
/sa fɛ lɔ̃.tɑ̃/
Ça fait: sa feh. Longtemps: lohn-TAHN, nasal on. Space before ! when written.
"Long time no see" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ça fait longtemps ! | long time no see! Standard reunion line. | Standard reunion line. |
| ça fait longtemps | it's been a long time Without the bang. | Without the bang. |
| ça fait longtemps qu'on ne s'est pas vus | it's been a long time since we saw each other Fuller sentence. | Fuller sentence. |
| ça fait une éternité | it's been forever Stronger emphasis. | Stronger emphasis. |
How to use ça fait longtemps ! in real life
- 1Street run-in
Hé ! Ça fait longtemps !
Hey! Long time no see!
Full phrase.
- 2Office hallway
Ça fait longtemps, tu es de retour ?
Long time no see—are you back?
Follow-up question.
- 3Voice note
Coucou, ça fait longtemps ! Donne des nouvelles.
Hey—long time no see! Send news.
Message tone.
Mistakes English speakers make with ça fait longtemps !
Incorrect: Long time no see !
Correct: Ça fait longtemps !
Use the French phrase.
Incorrect: Ça fait longtemps!
Correct: Ça fait longtemps !
Space before ! in French.
Good to know
Reunions often stack ça fait longtemps with ça va ? and tu as changé. Kiss greetings (la bise) may follow among friends. The phrase is warm, not formal—save enchanté for first meetings.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting an old classmate
ChatPal
Julia ? Ça fait longtemps !
Julia? Long time no see!
You
Ça fait longtemps ! Tu habites toujours ici ?
Long time no see! Do you still live around here?
ChatPal
Oui. Ça fait longtemps qu'on devrait prendre un café.
Yes. It's been a long time—we should grab a coffee.
You
Cette semaine, je te propose jeudi.
This week—I suggest Thursday.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Long time no see" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Long time no see" in French
How do you say long time no see in French?
Ça fait longtemps !
Is there a longer version?
Ça fait longtemps qu'on ne s'est pas vus.
Is it formal?
No—friendly and informal.
Is there a space before ! ?
Yes in standard French.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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