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My French students often wonder how to translate what into French as it can have different terms depending on its function in a sentence. In this short lesson, I won’t be giving you all the terms we use in French but the most useful ones. So, first, we are going to see how to use it in a question and then in a statement.
WHAT IN A QUESTION
What can often be translated by “Qu’est-ce que/Qu’est ce qui – Quel(s) /quelle(s)- Quoi
Each one has a grammatical function that you need to understand in order to correctly use them.
- Qu’est-ce que and Qu’est-ce qui
a. Qu’est-ce que tu veux manger ce soir?
What do you want to eat tonight ?
b. Qu’est-ce qui fait ce bruit ?
What makes that noise ?
Note : In sentence (a) we use « Qu’est-ce que » because it is directly followed by a subject.
Qu’est-ce que + tu (subject) + veux manger (verbs)
In sentence (b) the verb we use « Qu’est-ce qui » because it is directly followed by a verb and NOT a subject. But be careful because here « Qui » doesn’t mean « WHO » so don’t get confused!
Qu’est-ce qui + fait (verb)
2. Quels & Quelles
a. Quelle heure est-il?
What time is it?
b. Quel est ton nom?
What is your name?
Note: In sentence (a) you must use “Quelle” because it is followed by a feminine noun (une heure-an hour) and in the second sentence you must use “Quel” because “nom’ has a masculine gender (un nom- a name/a noun).
Quel/Quelle literally mean “which” and are always used before a noun or before the verb “to be”.
- Quel(le)s + noun (Quelle heure est-il?)
- Quel(le)s + être (Quel est ton nom)
There are 4 different forms of “Quel” according to gender and number of the noun they precede and modify
| What/which | Masc | Fem |
| Singular | Quel | Quelle |
| Plural | Quels | Quelles |
Tips: Easy to remember how to pronounce each of them as they all have the same pronunciation /KEL/!!
3. Quoi
This is the unformal way of asking a “What” question.
So, instead of saying “Qu’est-ce que tu veux?” you could say “Tu veux quoi? “.
Notes:
- “Quoi” can only replace “Qu’est-ce que” (not qu’est-ce qui or quel)
- It has to be put at the end of a question
- It is informal (mainly used in spoken French)
WHAT IN A STATEMENT
- Ce que/ce qui
a. Je me demande ce que vous voulez.
I wonder what you want.
b. Tu me demandes ce qui fait ce bruit
I wonder what makes that noise
Notes:
- What (ce que /ce qui) is often in the middle of a statement
- It corresponds to “Qu’est-ce que /Qu’est-ce qui “in a question …
- Ce que + subject + verb
- Ce qui + verb
2. Quel(s)/quelle(s)
a. Je me demande quel est son nom
I wonder what ‘s his/her name
b. Je me demande quelle heure il est
I wonder what time it is
Notes:
- Quel/quelle + verb “être”+ noun
- Quel/quelle + noun (without an article le/la un/une)
- Concerning the gender, the same thing happens as in the questions : Quel for masculine nouns & Quels for mac and plural nouns / Quelle for feminine nouns & Quelles for feminine and plural nouns.