Quelle journée !
Quelle journée ! is the French way to say "what a day!"
This phrase is an exclamation used to emphasize the content, events or the overall experience of a day. Depending on the speaker's tone, it can have a positive valence to express excitement about a great day or a negative valence to express exhaustion after a difficult or busy day.
Which one should you use?
While Quelle journée ! focuses on the experience of the day, Quel jour ! would literally refer to a specific date or day of the week, such as saying "What a day [it is, Tuesday]!" Consequently, Quel jour ! is much less common for the idiomatic expression of exhaustion or excitement. You can also use more specific informal variations like Quelle journée de folie! for "What a crazy day!" or Quelle journée incroyablement bien remplie! for "What an incredibly busy day!"
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective quelle must be in the feminine singular form to agree with the feminine noun journée.
Did you know?
- While Quelle journée ! describes the experience of the day, the word journée shares its root with the English word 'journey', reflecting the idea of a day as a passage of time or a trip.
- The word journée comes from the Vulgar Latin *diurnāta, which is the root of the English word 'journal'.
- Using Quelle journée ! often implies that the day felt particularly stretched out or long, regardless of whether the events were good or bad.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are arriving home after a very long and tiring day.
- GabrielQuelle journée !What a day!
- ChloéOui, je suis épuisée.Yes, I am exhausted.
- GabrielTu veux un café ?Do you want a coffee?
- ChloéOh oui, s'il te plaît.Oh yes, please.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries journée, CC BY-SA 4.0.
