How do you say “Water under the bridge” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is C’est de l’histoire ancienne, which literally means “It is ancient history”. English speakers use water under the bridge to mean something unpleasant that happened in the past and is no longer worth worrying about. Natural for a past event that no longer matters, including an old disagreement. Register: informal, neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural French
C’est de l’histoire ancienne
/sɛ də lis.twaʁ ɑ̃.sjɛn/
- Literal meaning
- “It is ancient history”
- Register
- informal, neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
91 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
English lets an old problem flow away under a bridge. French puts it in history, away from the present.
Both can reassure someone after a disagreement. The French phrase can also simply mean that a story is old, so forgiveness depends on the context.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in French?
C’est du passé
Literally: “It is of the past”
A simple way to close a subject.
N’en parlons plus
Literally: “Let us not speak of it anymore”
Use when accepting an apology or asking to move on.
Common translation traps
C’est de l’eau sous le pont
This describes water under a bridge without naturally signalling that a dispute is over.
The notes above explain why these versions do not work in this context in French.
In context
English
Our argument is water under the bridge now.
French
Notre dispute, c’est de l’histoire ancienne maintenant.
English
Don’t worry about it; it’s water under the bridge.
French
Ne t’inquiète pas pour ça, c’est du passé.
Related expressions
- What “Water under the bridge” means in English
- A blessing in disguise, A misfortune that turns out well.
- Burn your bridges, To cut off any way back.
Last updated 2026-09-12