❓👉

How to Say ‘What's over there?’ in French

Il y a quoi là-bas ?

eel ee ah kwah lah bah

[eel ee ah kwah lah bah]

💬 Usage Tip: In everyday speech the question word quoi can sit at the end of the sentence. It's casual, and you'll hear it far more than the textbook form.

Phrase Breakdown

Il y a quoi

eel ee ah kwah

What is there

Say 'ee-lya KWAH'. 'Il y a' means 'there is', and 'quoi' means 'what'.

Example

Il y a quoi à manger ?

What is there to eat?

Words in this phrase

[eel]

it (impersonal)

Impersonal subject used with verbs like 'rester' meaning 'there is left'.

Example

Il reste du pain.

There is some bread left.

[ee]

there

In or at that place.

Example

Y a-t-il une solution?

Is there a solution?

[ah]

has (in 'il y a' = there is)

Part of 'il y a', meaning there is/are.

Example

Il y a une terrasse.

There is a terrace.

quoi

[kwah]

what

Question word for 'what', often placed at the end in casual speech.

Example

Tu manges quoi ?

What are you eating?

là-bas ?

lah bah

over there?

Say 'la-BA'. The 's' is silent.

Example

Regarde là-bas !

Look over there!

Words in this phrase

là

[lah]

There

Adverb used to indicate a place or position.

Example

Là, on trouve souvent des oiseaux rares.

There, we often find rare birds.

bas

[bah]

down / over (in 'là-bas')

Means 'low'; combined with 'là' it means 'over there'.

Example

Les serviettes sont là-bas.

The towels are over there.

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.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Moved to Lyon for a culinary apprenticeship. The food and restaurant lessons were exactly what I needed — my French colleagues were genuinely impressed.”

Tom H., 38, Chef

“Studying in Paris and the academic French I learned in school was useless for daily life. This app filled the gap in weeks, not months.”

Nina W., 29, Graduate Student

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer