❓🤔

How to Say ‘What's up?’ in French

Qu'est-ce qu'il y a ?

k eh suh k eel ee ah

[k eh suh k eel ee ah]

💬 Usage Tip: Said quickly, this blurs into roughly (kess-keel-ya), and in casual speech often just (keel-ya). Both qu' pieces join the next word and never stand alone.

Phrase Breakdown

Qu'est-ce

k eh suh

What is it

Start of a question phrase. Say 'kès'.

Example

Qu'est-ce que c'est ?

What is it?

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]

it (in 'est-ce que')

Part of the question formula 'est-ce que', which turns a statement into a yes/no question.

Example

Est-ce que vous êtes ouverts ?

Are you open?

qu'il y a ?

k eel ee ah

(that) there is? / What's up?

Finishes the question. The whole phrase sounds like 'kès-kee-lya'.

Example

Il y a quoi ?

What's there?

Words in this phrase

qu'

[k]

what / that

Shortened form of 'que' before a vowel; with 'ce' it means 'what'.

Example

Prenez ce qu'il vous plaît.

Take what you like.

[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.

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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