How do you say "What's going on?" in French?

"What's going on?" in French is "Qu'est-ce qui se passe ?". This phrase is commonly used in France.

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How to Say ‘What's going on?’ in French

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

"Qu'est-ce qui se passe ?" means "What's going on?" in English. Usage tip: In [Qu'est-ce qui se passe ?], the [qu'] in [qu'est-ce] is attached to the next sound and can't stand alone. You'll see this same joined form in questions like [Qu'est-ce que vous avez fait ?].

Qu'est-ce qui se passe ?

k eh suh kee suh pahs

[k eh suh kee suh pahs]

💬 Usage Tip: In [Qu'est-ce qui se passe ?], the [qu'] in [qu'est-ce] is attached to the next sound and can't stand alone. You'll see this same joined form in questions like [Qu'est-ce que vous avez fait ?].

Phrase Breakdown

Qu'

[k]

what

Beginning of a common question meaning what.

Example

Qu' est-ce que vous avez vérifié ?

What have you checked?

est

[eh]

Part of the fixed question expression qu'est-ce qui.

Example

Est-ce normal si l'eau est froide ?

Is it normal if the water is cold?

-ce

[suh]

it is that

Fixed element used in French questions for emphasis; not translated word for word in natural English.

Example

-ce n'est qu'une vérification rapide.

It is only a quick check.

qui

[kee]

that / which

Relative word used here in the expression meaning what is happening.

Example

Qui peut réparer cela rapidement ?

Who can fix that quickly?

[suh]

itself

Reflexive pronoun used with passe in the expression se passer, to happen.

Example

Se peut-il que le chauffe-eau soit en panne ?

Could it be that the water heater is broken?

passe

[pahs]

is happening

From se passer, meaning to happen or go on.

Example

Il se passe quelque chose avec la chaudière.

Something is happening with the boiler.

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