What does it mean word for word?
The phrase qu'as-tu mangé ? literally translates to "what have you eaten?" because French uses the passé composé (auxiliary verb + past participle) for many completed actions in the past.
Which one should you use?
While qu'as-tu mangé ? is grammatically correct and slightly formal due to inversion, qu'est-ce que tu as mangé ? is much more common in everyday spoken French. Use Qu'avez-vous mangé? if you are addressing more than one person or if you are using the formal vous to show respect to a single person.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are different ways to phrase this depending on the situation. Qu'est-ce que tu as mangé ? is an informal way to ask 'What did you eat?' Qu'avez-vous mangé? is the formal way to ask 'What did you eat?'
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase qu'as-tu mangé ? uses inversion (verb-subject reversal) to form a question, which is a formal or standard way to ask a question in French.
Did you know?
- While manger is the standard, French speakers often use the verb prendre (to take) to ask what someone had for a meal, such as Qu'as-tu pris ?, which sounds more sophisticated.
- In very casual settings, French speakers often flip the entire sentence structure by moving the 'what' to the end, saying Tu as mangé quoi ? instead of using a formal question structure.
- The common question structure qu'est-ce que is not a single word for 'what' but is actually a literal phrase meaning 'what is it that'.
Examples in context
- Bonjour Monsieur/Madame, qu'avez-vous mangé ce midi?Good morning Sir/Madam, what did you eat for lunch?
- Excusez-moi, qu'avez-vous mangé lors de votre séjour ici?Excuse me, what did you eat during your stay here?
- Coucou! Qu'est-ce que tu as mangé pour le petit déjeuner?Hey! What did you eat for breakfast?
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are talking after a lunch break.
- EmmaTu as l'air content, qu'as-tu mangé ?You look happy, what did you eat?
- NathanJ'ai mangé un sandwich au poulet.I ate a chicken sandwich.
- EmmaC'était bon ?Was it good?
- NathanOui, c'était délicieux !Yes, it was delicious!
