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How to Say ‘What happens exactly?’ in French

Qu'est-ce qui se passe exactement ?

k eh suh kee suh pass eg-zakt-mahn

[k eh suh kee suh pass eg-zakt-mahn]

Phrase Breakdown

Qu'est-ce qui se passe

k eh suh kee suh pass

What happens

A common question about what happens or is happening. Say it quickly as one unit.

Example

Qu'est-ce qui se passe ici ?

What's happening here?

Words in this phrase

Qu'

[k]

what

Shortened form of 'que', the question word 'what', used at the start of 'qu'est-ce qui/que'.

Example

Qu'est-ce que vous voulez ?

What do you want?

est

[eh]

Third person singular present of be.

Example

C'est important.

It is important.

-ce

[suh]

Used instead of previously mentioned or understood subjects.

Example

C'est ce que je veux dire.

That's what I mean.

qui

[kee]

that

Used to introduce a defining or restrictive clause.

Example

C'est une étoile qui brille.

It's a star that shines.

[suh]

itself (reflexive)

Reflexive pronoun forming the verb 'se passer' (to happen).

Example

Ça se passe bien.

It's going well.

passe

[pass]

goes; happens

Indicates the way a process is unfolding.

Example

L'intégration se passe bien ? permet de vérifier si tout va bien pour un nouvel employé.

"Is the onboarding going well?" makes it possible to check whether everything is going well for a new employee.

exactement ?

eg-zakt-mahn

exactly?

Adds precision to the question. Pronounced 'èg-zak-te-man', with a nasal ending.

Example

Il est quelle heure exactement ?

What time is it exactly?

Words in this phrase

exactement

[eg-zakt-mahn]

exactly

Used to show strong agreement or precision.

Example

C'est exactement la réponse qu'on peut donner au sujet d'une culture idéale.

"That's exactly" the answer one can give about an ideal culture.

Guides for French learners

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.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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