C'était quoi ?
The English phrase "what was that?" can be translated into French as C'était quoi ?
C'était quoi ? is a question used to ask for the identity or nature of something that was just seen or heard.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally composed of ce (it), était (was) and quoi (what).
Which one should you use?
Qu'est-ce que c'était ? is a more standard and grammatically formal way to ask "what was that?" than C'était quoi ?
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
C'était quoi ? is an informal way to ask the question, commonly used in spoken French. For a more standard level of formality, use Qu'est-ce que c'était ?
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain parts of France, Comment? is used to ask someone to repeat or to express confusion.
When do people say it?
To express confusion or ask someone to repeat themselves informally, you might use Hein? to mean "Huh?" or "What?"
Did you know?
- The word quoi is a distant cousin of the English word 'what', as both descended from the same prehistoric Proto-Indo-European root *kʷid.
- The word quoi is used in the common idiomatic expression Et quoi encore ?, which translates to 'What else?' but is often used sarcastically to mean 'Give me a break'.
- French has a specific noun un quoi, which can be used to describe a thing whose name the speaker doesn't know, essentially turning the question word into a noun.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, qu'est-ce que c'était?Excuse me, what was it?
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are sitting in a quiet park when they hear a sudden loud splash nearby.
- GabrielC'était quoi ?What was that?
- EmmaJe crois que c'était un gros poisson.I think it was a big fish.
- GabrielC'est surprenant pour un parc.That is surprising for a park.
- EmmaOui, c'était vraiment bruyant.Yes, it was really loud.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries quoi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
