qu'es-tu ?
The French phrase for 'what are you?' is qu'es-tu ?
Note that if you intend to ask about someone's occupation, you should use Que faites-vous? which means 'What do you do?' If you want to ask someone what they are currently doing or what they are up to in an informal setting, use Tu fais quoi?
Did you know?
- In French, asking Qu'es-tu ? to a human is so unusual that it is frequently used as a trope in science fiction and fantasy to signal that a character is an alien or a magical entity.
- Asking qu'es-tu ? during a costume party or masquerade is one of the few social situations where the phrase feels natural and expected.
- In a literal sense, Qu'es-tu ? asks for the definition of your being, making it a question of ontological substance rather than social status.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, qu'est-ce que vous êtes en train de faire?Excuse me, what are you doing?
- Bonjour, que faites-vous dans la vie?Hello, what do you do for a living?
- Alors, tu fais quoi ce soir?So, what are you doing tonight?
Example conversation
Léa discovers Nathan is actually a robot.
- LéaTu n'es pas humain, qu'es-tu ?You aren't human, what are you?
- NathanJe suis un androïde, Léa.I am an android, Léa.
- LéaC'est incroyable, Nathan !That is incredible, Nathan!
- NathanOui, je suis très avancé.Yes, I am very advanced.
