Que sera, sera
Meaning
It means "Whatever will be, will be," expressing a philosophical acceptance of the future as predetermined and unchangeable.
Origin
The phrase's journey to global fame is a fascinating linguistic tangle. Though it sounds distinctly Spanish and is often attributed to that language, it's actually a grammatically incorrect mix of Spanish ("Que será") and Latin ("sera" for 'it will be'). Its real breakthrough came in 1956, when Jay Livingston and Ray Evans penned the timeless song "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" for Alfred Hitchcock's film "The Man Who Knew Too Much." Sung by Doris Day, who played a former singer in the movie, the catchy melody and simple, fatalistic lyrics instantly resonated, becoming an iconic theme and a global hit. This song, not ancient wisdom or a traditional proverb, catapulted the phrase into the common English lexicon, where it remains a shorthand for accepting life's unpredictable twists with a shrug and a smile.
Examples
- She worried for a long time about the job interview, but eventually, she just shrugged and thought, Que sera, sera.
- After all the planning, the trip was cancelled, but the group decided to embrace the unexpected change with a casual, Que sera, sera.