Qu'est-ce que je peux faire ?
The English phrase "what can I do?" can be translated into French as Qu'est-ce que je peux faire ?
This phrase is used both to offer help to someone and to express helplessness in a situation. You can also use Qu'est-ce que je peux faire pour t'aider ? specifically to ask how you can help someone in an informal context.
Which one should you use?
You can also use more formal variations such as Que puis-je faire ? or the even more polite Que pourrais-je faire ?, which uses the conditional tense to add a layer of politeness.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In informal settings, you will most often hear Qu'est-ce que je peux faire ? or the very casual Je peux faire quoi ?, where the word for "what" is moved to the end of the sentence. For formal situations, use the inverted form Que puis-je faire ? or the conditional Que pourrais-je faire ?
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Qu'est-ce que je peux faire ?, the verb peux is the first-person singular present indicative of pouvoir, which means "to be able to" or "can".
Did you know?
- The French language uses the same verb faire for both 'to do' and 'to make', meaning this phrase can also mean 'What can I make?' depending on the context.
- The word faire in this phrase shares its ancient roots with the English word 'fact', as both stem from the Latin 'facere', meaning 'to do' or 'to make'.
- In French, the phrase Qu'est-ce que… literally translates to 'What is it that…'. It is used as a standard way to start a question rather than a literal inquiry into what something is.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, je suis nouveau ici. Que puis-je faire pour m'intégrer ?Excuse me, I am new here. What can I do to integrate?
- Salut, j'ai terminé mes devoirs. Qu'est-ce que je peux faire maintenant ?Hi, I have finished my homework. What can I do now?
Example conversation
Manon arrives at Lucas's house to help him clean after a party.
- ManonTu as l'air fatigué, qu'est-ce que je peux faire ?You look tired, what can I do?
- LucasC'est gentil, Manon. Peux-tu ranger la cuisine ?That's kind of you, Manon. Can you tidy the kitchen?
- ManonOui, bien sûr, je m'en occupe.Yes, of course, I'll take care of it.
- LucasMerci beaucoup, tu me sauves la vie !Thank you so much, you're saving my life!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries faire, je, que, CC BY-SA 4.0.
