C'est qui ?
The English phrase "who is it?" is translated into French as C'est qui ?
C'est qui ? is used to ask for the identity of a person. It is commonly used in situations such as when someone knocks on a door or when a person remains unidentified during a conversation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ce (it), est (is) and qui (who).
Which one should you use?
While C'est qui ? is the standard informal way to ask for someone's identity, you may also encounter the informal variations C'est qui, là ? and C'est qui, ça ? to mean "Who is it?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
C'est qui ? is the standard informal way to ask for someone's identity in spoken French. For a more formal way to ask, use Qui est-ce ?
How does it change in a sentence?
To use "who is it" as a subject within a complex sentence, use the construction Qui est-ce qui followed by a verb.
Did you know?
- If you are asking 'Who is it?' about a person you've never met, you might hear the even more informal C'est qui, ça ?. Using the demonstrative pronoun ça to refer to a person can sound quite dismissive or even rude, as if you are treating the person like an object.
- The word qui used to ask 'who' is inherited from the Latin quī.
- In very informal French, speakers often drop the C'est entirely and simply say Qui ? with a specific rising intonation to mean 'Who is it?'
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, qui est-ce ?Excuse me, who is it?
- Qui est là, s'il vous plaît ?Who is there, please?
- C'est qui, là ?Who is it?
- Qui est-ce, alors ?Who is it then?
- On frappe, c'est qui ?There is a knock, who is it?
Example conversation
Lucas hears a knock at the apartment door.
- LucasC'est qui ?Who is it?
- EmmaC'est moi, Emma.It's me, Emma.
- LucasAh, entre Emma !Ah, come in, Emma!
- EmmaMerci, Lucas.Thanks, Lucas.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries c'est, qui, CC BY-SA 4.0.
