quoi de neuf
/kwa d(ə) nœf/
The English phrase "wagwan" can be translated into French as quoi de neuf.
quoi de neuf is an informal way to say "what's up" or "what's new" to ask someone how they are or what is happening. In certain contexts, French youth have also adopted the word Yo as a casual greeting equivalent to "Sup" or "What's up".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both quoi de neuf and the borrowed term Yo are informal greetings.
When do people say it?
When someone asks you quoi de neuf, a common and natural response is Pas grand-chose, which means "Not much".
Did you know?
- While quoi de neuf is common, French youth in multicultural urban areas often use 'verlan' slang, flipping syllables to create entirely new greeting words.
- The word neuf in the phrase refers to two different things: it can mean 'new' as in 'new information', or it can mean the number 'nine'.
- The English word 'novel' and the French word neuf share the same ancient ancestor. Both trace their lineage back to the Latin 'novus', meaning 'new'.
Examples in context
- Salut, quoi de neuf ?Hi, what's up?
- Alors, quoi de neuf depuis la dernière fois ?So, what's new since last time?
- Quoi de neuf par ici ?What's happening around here?
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa meet in a park.
- HugoSalut Léa, quoi de neuf ?Hi Léa, what's up?
- LéaPas grand-chose, et toi ?Not much, and you?
- HugoTout va bien pour moi.Everything is going well for me.
- LéaSuper, je suis contente pour toi.Great, I'm happy for you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry quoi de neuf, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, neuf, quoi, quoi de neuf, CC BY-SA 4.0.
