que dis-tu de
In French, 'how about' is expressed as que dis-tu de.
The phrase is used to make a suggestion or propose an idea to someone. You can also use the common alternative et si to make suggestions.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, que dis-tu de translates to 'what do you say of'.
Which one should you use?
While que dis-tu de is used for suggestions, et si is another common way to say 'what if' or 'how about'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Que dis-tu de is informal because it uses the 'tu' form, making it appropriate for friends or family. For formal contexts or when addressing a group, use que dites-vous de. You can also use the formal expression Que diriez-vous de, which translates to 'what would you say about' or the formal suggestion Et si nous.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using que dis-tu de with a verb, the following verb must be in the infinitive form.
Did you know?
- While que dis-tu de sounds like a question, in casual spoken French, speakers often drop the que and simply ask tu dis quoi de, changing the word order entirely.
- If you use que dis-tu de followed by a noun instead of a verb, you are not just suggesting an activity but asking for the other person's opinion on the quality of that thing.
- The word que in this phrase is a linguistic relative of the English word 'what' through their shared Proto-Indo-European ancestor *kʷid.
Examples in context
- Que dis-tu de demain ?How about tomorrow?This sentence is useful for suggesting a specific time, such as tomorrow.Tatoeba #1408861 by sacredceltic, translation #328023 by CK
- Que dis-tu de marcher ?How about taking a walk?This sentence is useful for suggesting an activity, like walking.Tatoeba #980791 by sacredceltic, translation #245140 by CK
- Que dis-tu de ce soir ?How about tonight?This sentence is useful for suggesting a time, such as tonight.Tatoeba #1664301 by sacredceltic, translation #1664297 by Spamster
- Que diriez-vous d'aller dîner ce soir?How about going out for dinner tonight?
- Et si nous allions au cinéma?How about going to the cinema?
- Et si on allait au parc?How about going to the park?
- Ça te dit de prendre un café?How about grabbing a coffee?
- Que diriez-vous de prendre un verre ce soir?How about having a drink tonight?
- Et si on partait en vacances ensemble?How about going on vacation together?
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Léa are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- NathanJ'ai faim. Que dis-tu de commander une pizza ?I'm hungry. How about ordering a pizza?
- LéaC'est une bonne idée, Nathan !That's a good idea, Nathan!
- NathanOn prend quelle garniture ?Which topping should we get?
- LéaQue dis-tu de fromage et champignons ?How about cheese and mushrooms?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, que, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
