# FR: What is it/that?



## macta123

Qui est-ce? = Who is this (he/she)?

So why - Qu'est-ce que c'est? = What is it? (for non-living things)
     What is the need of the second* c'est.*
 It is for emphasising ('renforcer').

 Simply, why can't we use - Qu'est-ce? for "What it is"
        There is already the c'est -> inverted ie.  est-ce in the above context. 
 So, what is the actual need of the second *c'est (when reffering to things)*

*Moderator note: *multiple threads merged to create this one. See also FR: Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça ?


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## TA4U

In fact, none: ''Qu'est-ce'' is the correct translation. 
The added ''c'est'' is simply common language.


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## Clayjar

Just a thought...

Could it be that "Qu'est-ce que c'est" is using the interrogative phrase "est-ce que," (as opposed to inversion) which must be followed by a conjugated verb (in this case, "c'est")?


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## gungunxbangbang

What is the difference between "Quel est cela?" and "Qu'est-ce que cela est?" ? 
They both mean "What is that?" right?


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## Rosomah

I'm pretty sure the first one isn't even formulated right 0_o


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## gungunxbangbang

i thought this meant "whats this?" or is the same
thanks btw


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## Rosomah

Yeah, what these sentences basically want to say indeed is 'what's this', but the first one lacks proper grammar and I guess it's better to say 'qu'est-ce que c'est' instead of the second one.


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## gungunxbangbang

okay thanks =]


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## Laürenar

The first one is correct too but you'll never see anyone in nowadays France say it (or perhaps very old aristocrats).
Actually, the first one is an old way to say the second one. Even if, as said by Rosomah, you'll most often hear "_Qu'est-ce que c'est ?_".


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## itka

Laürenar said:


> The first one is correct too but you'll never see anyone in nowadays France say it (or perhaps very old aristocrats).
> Actually, the first one is an old way to say the second one. Even if, as said by Rosomah, you'll most often hear "_Qu'est-ce que c'est ?_".



Laürenar, I think you're misreading the "first one"...
gungunxbangbang asks if "Quel est cela ?" is possible. No, it's completely wrong. It is wrong nowadays as it was centuries before.

The "old expression" which could be used by a "very old aristocrat" is :
*"Qu'est cela ?"*

Anyway, you're better always to choose : _*"Qu'est-ce que c'est ?"*_


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## Maître Capello

itka said:


> The "old expression" which could be used by a "very old aristocrat" is :
> *"Qu'est cela ?"*



Or: _Qu'est-ce que cela ?_


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## Laürenar

itka said:


> Laürenar, I think you're misreading the "first one"...
> gungunxbangbang asks if "Quel est cela ?" is possible. No, it's completely wrong. It is wrong nowadays as it was centuries before.
> 
> The "old expression" which could be used by a "very old aristocrat" is :
> *"Qu'est cela ?"*
> 
> Anyway, you're better always to choose : _*"Qu'est-ce que c'est ?"*_



« Quel est cela » était, semble-t-il, également utilisé dans le passé (lointain). 
J'ai même trouvé une traduction de Dante avec cette expression dedans : « Quel est cela [...] contre quoi ne peut ma vue trouver d'abri qui vaille ? ».
J'en ai trouvé quelques autres références également.


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## Crookshanks

Bonsoir. I was playing with the syntax of this phrase, and I'm wondering how many of the following structures are correct:

Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça? (OK that's correct for sure.)

Qu'est-ce que c'est, ça? (?) 

Qu'est-ce que ça est? (I suspect this is wrong because "ça est..." needs an object or complement?)

Also, since I like searching for stuff, I thought about doing a Google search about it so I came up with the structurally similar phrases:

"Qu'est-ce que la vie?" (Which to me seems wrong, it's like "What is it that life?" which doesn't really make much sense.)

and "Qu'est-ce que c'est la vie?" (Which would seem more correct if there was a comma before "la vie".).

I am aware that just because something turns up in Google doesn't mean it's correct, but that's why I'm asking.

Merci d'avance! I appreciate your feedback very much!


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## Juan Jacob Vilalta

Crookshanks said:


> Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça? (OK that's correct for sure.)
> 
> Qu'est-ce que c'est, ça? (?)
> 
> Qu'est-ce que ça est? (I suspect this is wrong because "ça est..." needs an object or complement?)  *But, in Brussels French (mine language) we say it.*
> 
> Also, since I like searching for stuff, I thought about doing a Google search about it so I came up with the structurally similar phrases:
> 
> "Qu'est-ce que la vie?" (Which to me seems wrong, it's like "What is it that life?" which doesn't really make much sense.)  *(Elegant)*
> 
> and "Qu'est-ce que c'est la vie?" (Which would seem more correct if there was a comma before "la vie".).


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## geostan

I wouldn't say Qu'est-ce que c'est la vie?


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## Juan Jacob Vilalta

geostan said:


> I wouldn't say Qu'est-ce que c'est, la vie?



Avec une virgule, pourquoi pas?


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