C’est la vie is French for that’s the life, or just that’s life. It works as a standalone sentence or as a parenthetical clause. In English, it’s used to downplay a minor disappointment that is not worth lingering on or to acknowledge a slightly disappointing but not unexpected development. It’s similar in meaning to English expressions like oh well and that’s the way it goes.
Examples
That seems to be the way life is—c’est la vie. [Korea Times]
My old elementary school at Forbes was turned into a bar. C’est la vie. [Minnesota Public Radio]
And, despite several attempts at a relationship, the madtarbak … just haven’t warmed to me. C’est la vie. [Australian]
If it was meant to be, then it will be, and in two years he’ll be back in my arms. Until then, c’est la vie! [Sydney Morning Herald]