French Phrase
Ça déborde.
Meaning
Literally, “It overflows.” The sentence can describe a physical overflow (water, a pot) or a figurative one (emotions, information) that is spilling out beyond its limits.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to point out that something is overflowing or overflowing with something, whether you’re talking about a river, a bathtub, a crowded room, or a feeling that’s too strong to contain.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Çadéborde.
Ça (demonstrative pronoun)
Informal way to say “that/it”. It replaces a noun previously mentioned or obvious from context.
déborder (verb)
Verb meaning “to overflow”. Here it is conjugated in the present indicative, third‑person singular.
Present indicative
Used for actions happening now or general truths; the ending –e for “déborder” becomes “déborde” with “il/elle/on”.
🗨In Conversation
Ça déborde, la rivière a franchi ses berges.
It’s overflowing, the river has breached its banks.
Vite, on doit évacuer l’eau avant qu’elle n’inonde les maisons.
Quick, we need to drain the water before it floods the houses.
✕Common Mistakes
C’est déborde.
“C’est” cannot be followed directly by a verb; you need the verb in infinitive or a noun.
Ça débordé.
Incorrect past participle form; the present tense is needed here.
Ça est débordé.
Using the past participle as an adjective changes the meaning to “overrun” or “overwhelmed”.
↔Alternatives
Il déborde.
It overflows.
C’est trop plein.
It’s too full.
Ça déborde d’émotion.
It overflows with emotion.
Cultural Tip
In everyday French, “ça” is perfectly natural in spoken language, but in formal writing you’d replace it with “cela”. The verb “déborder” is also used figuratively: “ça déborde d’énergie” (it’s bursting with energy). Be careful not to confuse it with the adjective “débordé”, which means “overrun” or “overwhelmed”.