Quoi ?
The English phrase "what?" can be translated into French as Quoi ?
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Quoi ? is an informal way to say "what?" and can sound blunt or even rude if used with strangers or superiors. For more polite options, you can use Comment ?, which is similar to saying "Pardon?" in English or formal phrases like Comment, s'il vous plaît? and Pourriez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît?
Did you know?
- The polite alternative Comment ? literally means 'how?' Using it to mean 'what?' is a linguistic shortcut to avoid the bluntness of the word Quoi ?
- The word Quoi is a cognate of the English word 'what', meaning they both descend from the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root.
- In many French-speaking regions, if you did not hear someone, you might use Hein ? instead of Quoi ?, though this is extremely informal and often seen as a 'slang' sound.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, pourriez-vous répéter votre question s'il vous plaît?Excuse me, could you repeat your question, please?
- Hein? Je n'ai pas compris.What? I didn't understand.
- C'est quoi exactement que tu ne comprends pas?What specifically don't you understand?
- Tu dis quoi ?What are you saying?
Example conversation
Nathan and Léa are in a busy cafe.
- NathanLéa, tu as entendu ce que j'ai dit ?Léa, did you hear what I said?
- LéaQuoi ?What?
- NathanJe te demande si tu m'entends.I am asking you if you hear me.
- LéaAh, pardon, je t'écoute.Ah, sorry, I'm listening to you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries quoi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
