On est là avec quelqu'un

Question

I have heard the following sentence in the TV series Marseille:

• Maman, arrête de boire. On est là avec papa. On est toujours là.

I have initially understood "on est là avec papa" as "we are here with dad", which didn't make any sense in the context of the dialogue (a daughter trying to comfort her mother in tears). However, the French subtitle says "Dad and I are here for you", which makes much more sense. Is "on est là avec [quelqu'un]" an usual way to express "[someone] and I are here for you" ? Would be unusual to say "moi et papa sommes là/ici pour toi" ?

Answer 1

1. Is "on est là avec [quelqu'un]" an usual way to express "[someone] and I are here for you" ?

It is indeed a possible way to express Papa et moi, on est là implying "you can count on us".

2. Would it be unusual to say "moi et papa sommes là/ici pour toi" ?

That would be formal (because of the lack of subject pronoun and the first person plural tense usage), slightly less polite than papa et moi as Greg commented, and unexpected in this conversation, especially as on was used instead nous.

In a very formal family (or in the 19th century book), that conversation might have read:

Mère, renoncez à la boisson. Papa et moi, nous sommes à vos côtés.

Answer 2

Yes, "On est là avec Papa" means that the mother and father are here for the child, to assist him in his life.