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In English, this expression is sort of idiomatic, emphasising the meaning of "forever". How do you say the following sentence, for example, in French?

I have always been, and will always be there for you.

I say this sentence in French as follows, but isn't this translation too literal? Is there some other more idiomatic phrase?

J'ai toujours été là pour toi, et sache que je serai toujours là.

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  • What have you found so far? We expect posters to make a minimum research effort before they ask for a translation. It's no more idiomatic in French than in English. Just normal conjugation of être. A dictionary will tell you how to say always in French and a grammar page where to place it.
    – None
    May 14, 2016 at 5:08
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    I'm voting to close this question because OP hasn't made any research effort whatsoever before they asked the question.
    – None
    May 14, 2016 at 5:14
  • Actually, I'm not asking for a simple translation. It's not at all difficult to translate this sentence literally. What I'd like to know is, as shown in my title, if there is any idiomatic phrase for this expression in French, because this is sort of a fixed expression (an idiom) in English that can take no other form.
    – Merissa
    May 14, 2016 at 5:39
  • For instance, the English expression "Sleep on it" can be translated into the French idiom/proverb "La nuit porte conseil", but both can never be translated literally. So I wonder if the same goes for the expression in my question.
    – Merissa
    May 14, 2016 at 5:40
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    I suggest you edit your question and reformulate it. I'll gladly retract my close vote if you show you have searched how to say "I have always been / I always will be" (which is plain & usual English) in French and that you are looking for a different way of saying it, or that you are not sure about such or such a word/phrase because...
    – None
    May 14, 2016 at 5:52

1 Answer 1

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The most idiomatic way to say it would be

J'ai toujours été là pour toi, et je le serai toujours

Here, "le" stands for "là pour toi", since it is kind of heavy to repeat it twice. So here, you have a way to avoid it, so it will be smoother/nicer to use this shortcut, but you're not wrong if you don't.

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  • This is the first time I have seen "le" used with "être" like this. I could understand the sentence just fine if it were "et je le ferai toujours" instead, but when "le" is used with "serai", what meaning/function does "le" have?
    – Merissa
    May 14, 2016 at 9:41
  • @régénérée Answer enhanced ! :)
    – Random
    May 14, 2016 at 13:37

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