How to Say ‘What's wrong?’ in French
Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas ?
k eh suh kee nuh vah pah
[k eh suh kee nuh vah pah]
💬 Usage Tip: A common doctor question. Literally: 'What is it that is not going well?'
🇫🇷 In France: This sounds caring and standard in medical settings, but you may also hear it in daily life.
Phrase Breakdown
Qu'est-ce qui
k eh suh kee
What is it that / What
This introduces the question in a natural French way, often equivalent to what is wrong?
Qu'est-ce qui se passe ?
What is happening?
Words in this phrase
Qu'
[k]
what
Introduces a question asking what the problem is.
Qu'est-ce qui vous dérange le plus ?
What is bothering you the most?
est
[eh]
is
Form of the verb être in a question.
Qu'est-ce qui est nouveau depuis hier ?
What is new since yesterday?
-ce
[suh]
it
Part of the fixed question expression qu'est-ce qui.
Qu'est-ce qui explique cette douleur ?
What explains this pain?
qui
[kee]
that
Relative pronoun in the structure meaning what is it that.
Qu'est-ce qui vous aide à dormir ?
What helps you sleep?
Ne va pas
nuh vah pah
Is not going right / Is wrong
Used in the expression ne pas aller to mean to be wrong or not okay.
Quelque chose ne va pas.
Something is wrong.
Words in this phrase
ne
[nuh]
not
Negative word used before the verb.
Rien ne change vraiment.
Nothing really changes.
va
[vah]
goes
In this phrase, means goes or is going.
Ça va un peu mieux maintenant.
It's going a bit better now.
pas
[pah]
not
Completes the negative meaning of the phrase.
La douleur ne part pas rapidement.
The pain does not go away quickly.
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