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How to Say ‘What date was it for?’ in French

C'était pour quelle date ?

suh ay-TAY poor dat

[suh ay-TAY poor dat]

💬 Usage Tip: The past tense c'était is used here to ask about a future booking. It's a softening habit, like English "what was the name?"

🇫🇷 In France: Staff in shops and restaurants use this past-tense phrasing to sound gentle and helpful. It doesn't mean they think the event has already happened.

Phrase Breakdown

C'était

suh ay-TAY

It was

The imperfect tense is used here to make the question sound softer and more polite. Say it as "sé-TÉ".

Example

C'était pour combien de personnes ?

How many people was it for?

Words in this phrase

[suh]

Used to refer to a thing previously mentioned.

Example

C'est incroyable.

It is incredible.

était

[ay-TAY]

was

Imperfect form of 'être' meaning 'was' or 'used to be.'

Example

C'était un moment agréable pour parler de nos projets.

It was a pleasant moment to talk about our projects.

pour quelle date ?

poor dat

for what date?

"Quelle" agrees with the feminine noun "date". Say it as "poor kel DAT", with your voice rising at the end.

Example

Pour quelle heure ?

For what time?

Words in this phrase

pour

[poor]

for

Indicating purpose or reason.

Example

C'est pour toi.

It's for you.

quelle

date

[dat]

date

Feminine noun for a calendar day.

Example

Quelle date vous convient ?

Which date suits you?

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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