French Phrase
C'est un pote qui n'est là que quand tout va bien.
Meaning
The sentence describes a person who is only present or supportive during good times. It implies that the speaker sees this "pote" as unreliable because he disappears when difficulties arise.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to comment on someone’s conditional loyalty, especially in informal conversations with friends or peers. It works well when talking about a colleague, a classmate, or a casual acquaintance who only shows up for the fun parts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
C'estunpotequin'estlàquequandtoutvabien.
C'est
Contraction of "ce" + "est" used to identify or describe something.
pote
Informal slang for "friend" or "buddy"; more casual than "ami".
qui
Relative pronoun introducing a subordinate clause that describes the antecedent.
ne … que
A restrictive negative construction meaning "only"; the "ne" is often dropped in spoken French.
quand
Conjunction meaning "when"; introduces a temporal clause.
tout va bien
Fixed expression meaning "everything is fine"; "tout" functions as a pronoun here.
🗨In Conversation
Tu sais, c'est un pote qui n'est là que quand tout va bien.
You know, he's a buddy who is only there when everything's going well.
Oui, dès qu'il y a un problème, il disparaît.
Yeah, as soon as there's a problem, he disappears.
✕Common Mistakes
C'est un pote qui est là que quand tout va bien.
In spoken French the "ne" is often dropped, but in written or formal contexts you should keep it.
Cher Monsieur, c'est un pote qui...
Using "pote" in a formal email or with a superior would sound too casual.
C'est un pote qui n'est là que quand tout va bien.
Do not translate literally as "all goes well"; the idiomatic meaning is "everything is fine".
↔Alternatives
C'est un ami qui ne vient que quand tout se passe bien.
He's a friend who only comes when everything goes well.
C'est un copain qui n'est présent que dans les bons moments.
He's a pal who is only present in good times.
Il n'est là que quand tout va bien.
He is only around when everything is fine.
Cultural Tip
The word "pote" is very informal and is typically used among peers; avoid it in formal or professional settings. The "ne…que" construction is a classic way to express "only" in French, but in everyday speech the "ne" is often omitted (e.g., "Il est là que quand tout va bien"). Remember that the nuance here is slightly critical – you’re pointing out the person’s lack of loyalty.