How do you say "What is it that" in French?

"What is it that" in French is "Qu'est-ce qui". This phrase is commonly used in France.

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How to Say ‘What is it that’ in French

Q: What does "Qu'est-ce qui" mean in English?

"Qu'est-ce qui" means "What is it that" in English. Usage tip: A very common French question starter. It sounds natural in spoken French and is less word-for-word than English.

Qu'est-ce qui

k ay suh kee

[k ay suh kee]

💬 Usage Tip: A very common French question starter. It sounds natural in spoken French and is less word-for-word than English.

🇫🇷 In France: Doctors often use this gentle, open-ended phrase to let you explain symptoms in your own words.

Phrase Breakdown

Qu'

[k]

what

Shortened form of que before a vowel; part of the question structure qu'est-ce qui meaning what is it that / what.

Example

Qu' est-ce qui vous inquiète aujourd'hui ?

What is worrying you today?

est

[ay]

Form of the verb être used in set question expressions like qu'est-ce qui.

Example

Qu'est-ce qui est le plus douloureux ?

What is the most painful?

-ce

[suh]

this / it

Part of the fixed expression est-ce que / est-ce qui used to form questions; it does not translate literally word for word here.

Example

Dans Qu'est-ce qui vous amène ?, -ce fait partie de la question.

In 'What brings you in?', -ce is part of the question structure.

qui

[kee]

that / which

Relative pronoun meaning that or which; in qu'est-ce qui it helps mean what is it that.

Example

Qu'est-ce qui vous fait mal exactement ?

What exactly hurts you?

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