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How to Say ‘What brings you in?’ in French

Qu'est-ce qui vous amène ?

k eh suh kee voo ah-mehn

[k eh suh kee voo ah-mehn]

🇫🇷 In France: This is the French doctor's standard opening line. It's your cue to name your main symptom straight away, no small talk needed.

Phrase Breakdown

Qu'est-ce qui

k eh suh kee

What is it that

A question opener that asks about the subject of the sentence. Say it as one block: 'kess-kee'.

Example

Qu'est-ce qui se passe ?

What is happening?

Words in this phrase

Qu'

[k]

what

Contracted form starting the question qu’est-ce que..., used to ask 'what'.

Example

Qu' est-ce qui attire le regard en premier ?

What attracts the eye first?

est

[eh]

Third person singular present of be.

Example

C'est important.

It is important.

-ce

[suh]

this / it

Part of the fixed structure qu’est-ce que, used in forming questions.

Example

Qu'est-ce qui change dans la lumière ?

What changes in the light?

qui

[kee]

that / which

Relative pronoun meaning that or which, linking yeux and coulent.

Example

Les yeux qui coulent. Cela m'inquiète.

Watery eyes. That worries me.

vous amène ?

voo ah-mehn

brings you

'Vous' links to 'amène' with a liaison 'z' sound: 'voo-za-mèn'. The voice rises at the end.

Example

Le taxi vous amène à l'hôpital.

The taxi takes you to the hospital.

Words in this phrase

vous

[voo]

you

Used to refer to the person or people being addressed.

Example

Vous aimez le film?

Do you like the movie?

amène

[ah-mehn]

bring

To take or carry (someone or something) to a place.

Example

Qui t'amène ici ?

Who brings you here?

Guides for French learners

The Most Common French Verbs: the 20 You'll Actually UseThe 20 most common French verbs, with the present-tense forms you need, real example sentences with native audio, and two shortcuts for past and future.Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.

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