❓💭

How to Say ‘What does that mean?’ in French

Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire ?

k eh suh kuh sah vuh deer

[k eh suh kuh sah vuh deer]

💬 Usage Tip: Vouloir dire literally means "to want to say", but together it means "to mean". Qu'est-ce que is a common way to start a "what" question.

Phrase Breakdown

Qu'est-ce que ça

k eh suh kuh sah

What (is it that) that

A question opener, said quickly as 'kes-kuh sa'.

Example

Qu'est-ce que ça coûte ?

What does that cost?

Words in this phrase

Qu'

[k]

what

Contracted form used in questions starting with what.

Example

Qu'est-ce qu'il comprend ? Qu' introduces the question.

What does it include? Qu' introduces the question.

est

[eh]

Third person singular present of be.

Example

C'est important.

It is important.

-ce

[suh]

question marker

In est-ce que, this element helps form a standard yes/no question in French.

Example

Est-ce qu'il y a un parking gratuit ?

Is there free parking?

que

[kuh]

that / what

Links ce to the rest of the clause; together ce que often means what.

Example

Montre Ce que tu ne comprends pas sur la feuille.

Show what you do not understand on the worksheet.

ça

[sah]

that / it

Demonstrative pronoun used in everyday French to mean 'that' or 'it.'

Example

Ça me plaît quand une entreprise parle clairement.

I like it when a company speaks clearly.

veut dire ?

vuh deer

means?

'Vouloir dire' means 'to mean'. Pronounced 'vuh deer'.

Example

Ce mot veut dire « maison ».

This word means 'house'.

Words in this phrase

veut

[vuh]

wants

Third-person form of 'vouloir'; with 'dire' it means 'means'.

Example

Elle veut un café.

She wants a coffee.

dire

[deer]

to say

To express in words.

Example

Il va dire la vérité.

He is going to say the truth.

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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