Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
quand il faut aller, faut y aller
English translation:
a man's got to do what a man's got to do
Added to glossary by
celandine
Feb 21, 2005 04:09
19 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term
quand il faut aller, faut y aller
Non-PRO
French to English
Art/Literary
Other
when push comes to shove ?
a man's got to do what a man's got to do?
any ideas ? thanks
a man's got to do what a man's got to do?
any ideas ? thanks
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+6
22 mins
Selected
a man's got to do what a man's got to do
yes
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
RHELLER
: but dahling what if it's a woman?
19 mins
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a woman will just do it, won't advertize it! ;-)
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| agree |
Assimina Vavoula
2 hrs
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efxaristo npapad1.
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| agree |
Calou
3 hrs
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thanks Calou
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| agree |
suezen
4 hrs
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Thanks suezen
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| agree |
Bourth (X)
: Or even "Banzai!!!!", depending on the ever-so-important context.
6 hrs
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atamawa okashine Alex.
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| agree |
tatyana000
8 hrs
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thanks Tanya
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| agree |
moya
9 hrs
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thanks moya
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| disagree |
David Vaughn
: Sexiste, non ? - Well how about "Ya gotta do whacha gotta do"? Spelling optional.
19 hrs
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what do you suggest, a person's got to do what a person's got to do?
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "thanks - i would have liked to have selected more than one, but I'm not sure if this is possible "
+2
4 mins
Paul Kozelka
Native in English
Available 24/7-While the world sleeps...
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, Portuguese to English, and 1 more.
When you gotta go....
Either of the Asker's suggestions would do, depending on context, but the good ol' "When you gotta go, you gotta go." is perfectly o.k. (Though in more proper style - rarely used in U.S. parlance - "When you've got to go..."
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Jonathan Lukens (X)
: While this certainly may be valid, for me it instantly conjures up cartoons about drinking too much lemonade and a long line to the bathroom, with a patch of bushes conveniently located off to the side...
5 mins
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| agree |
suezen
4 hrs
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| agree |
Jocelyne S
4 hrs
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47 mins
David Hollywood
Native in English
worked for int. orgs (IMF, OAS, IDB)
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
24
if you gotta go for it, go for it
why not
48 mins
Jean-Claude Gouin
Canada
Canada
Native in French
Canada
Subscribe to my newsletter ...
Native in: French 
Works in: French to English, English to French, French, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
20
When you have to go, you have to go.
How are dying and going to the bathroom similar?
When you gotta go, you gotta go!
If you don't choose my translation,
I hope that, at least, I made you smile.
When you gotta go, you gotta go!
If you don't choose my translation,
I hope that, at least, I made you smile.
6 hrs
strike while the iron's hot
We really need a much fuller picture of where the expression is used to be able to help with confidence.
9 hrs
what has to be done ,has to be done
.
+1
18 hrs
Jeanne Zang
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Experienced, skilled, reliable
Native in: English
Works in: French to English, Catalan to English, Spanish to English, and 1 more.
You do what you have to do.
Given the context, I think this works. For example, my father, who was always very squeamish about medical procedures, had to give himself shots late in life. I asked him how he could do it and he said, "You do what you have to do."
Discussion