c'est la vie
C'est la vie means 'that's life', and yes, the French really say it. It's a small verbal shrug for things you can't change: a friend moves away, the train is cancelled, the last croissant is gone. Say it with a sigh, not a smile. It accepts the bad news and moves the conversation along.
Where you'll hear it
Éthan
Ha ha ! J'imagine la tête du facteur ! Vous êtes toujours en contact ?
Ha ha! I can imagine the mailman's face! Are you still in touch?
Marine
Malheureusement non. Elle a déménagé quand on avait 12 ans. J'étais dévastée. J'aurais aimé qu'elle reste, mais bon, c'est la vie.
Unfortunately not. She moved away when we were 12. I was devastated. I wish she had stayed, but well, that's life.
Éthan
Ah mince, c'est dommage. Tu as des souvenirs particuliers avec elle ?
Oh no, that's too bad. Do you have any particular memories with her?
Listen: c'est la vie
How it shows up
Il a plu tout le week-end. Bon, c'est la vie.
It rained all weekend. Oh well, that's life.
J'ai raté le dernier métro, c'est la vie, je rentre à pied.
I missed the last metro. That's life, I'm walking home.
On a perdu le match, mais c'est la vie, on gagnera la prochaine fois.
We lost the match, but that's life, we'll win next time.
Questions people ask
Do French people actually say c'est la vie?
All the time, just never as a slogan. It comes after small disappointments, often with mais bon in front: mais bon, c'est la vie. For real tragedies it sounds cold, so keep it for missed trains and burnt toast.
What's the difference between c'est la vie and tant pis?
Tant pis means 'too bad'. It's quicker and drier, and often about your own choice. C'est la vie is more philosophical: life did this, not you.