# FR: What is X?



## Co Co Rico

My grammar book says that "What is a republic" in French is

"Qu'est-ce que c'est qu'une republique?",

but I have noticed that a lot times the question can be posed as

"Qu'est-ce qu'une republique?"

Do both mean the same thing? If so, why would anyone ever use the first construction which seems so long?

*Moderator note:* Multiple threads have been merged to create this one.


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## LV4-26

Yes, they do mean the same thing and there's no sensible reason for using the longer version.

But still, there are a few situations in which you'll use "_qu'est-ce que c'est que..."_
The main case, I think, is when a demonstrative (adjective or pronoun) follows ==>
Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça ?
Qu'est-ce que c'est que cette chose ?
Qu'est-que c'est que cette idée ?

In the context you're mentionning, I'd say the speaker wants to give more weight to his question.


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## marget

Is it true that qu'est-ce que + noun is used if one is asking for an in-depth explanation?  "Qu'est-ce que le romantisme"... for example.  I think I may have read that this construction is used especially with literary terms.


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## LV4-26

It is certainly the kind of wording you'd find in a school book or a school /university assignment.

Some alternatives, depending on style
(academic) Qu'est-ce qu'une république ?
(journalistic) La république. Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
(colloquial) Qu'est-ce que c'est, une république ?
(more colloquial still) C'est quoi, une république ?

I would write #1 and use #3 in speech.


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## mnewcomb71

The construction "Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça" can also convey incredulty or a sense of sarcasmif you will.

Tu as vu le mec qui tapait sur le jeune?
Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça?


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## french88

Rebonjour à tous.
It might be a silly question though, I'm asking because I'm so wondering about that.


Here's the thing.
When saying in French, say, "What is a friend?", we say like Qu'est-ce qu'un ami? so, why don't we say like qu'est-ce qu'est un ami? or Qu'est un ami? 
I mean how a noun can be directly placed right after <qu'est-ce que>?
If I translate <qu'est-ce qu'un ami?> into English directly, I might say <What is it which/who a friend?> rather than <What is it which/who *is* a friend?> I think the first one doesn't make sense grammatically. but how is it possible in French?

Thanks for help! ^^


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## Juan Jacob Vilalta

french88 said:


> When saying in French, say, "What is a friend?", we say like Qu'est-ce qu'un ami?   so, why don't we say like qu'est-ce qu'est un ami?  Qu'est-ce que c'est, un ami ? or Qu'est un ami?  Pas si normal, mais correct.


 You can also say:

Qu'est-ce un ami ?


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## arundhati

You are confused because of the second "qu'" I think.
Actually, "qu'est-ce que" is an idiomatic phrase on its on. It is used to replace the formal interrogative form (verb before subject) by a direct form : "qu'est-que" + the direct form.
"Que veux-tu ?" => "*qu'est-ce que* tu veux ?".
In your example the whole "qu'est-que" stands for "what is".
So "qu'est-ce qu'un ami ?" => "what is a friend ?".
I hope it makes it clearer.


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## Lacuzon

Hi,

Qu'est-ce qu'un ami ? Colloquial and idiomatic as said arundhati.
Qu'est un ami ? Formal


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## french88

Merci. je suis content de votre explication ^^

Merci..   Je deviens plus clair sur ce sujet ^^


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## Maître Capello

Juan Jacob Vilalta said:


> You can also say: Qu'est-ce un ami ?


Well, you can only say that if you add a comma (_Qu'est-ce*,* un ami?_), but that would be colloquial anyway…

Regarding the difference between _Qu'est un ami?_ and _Qu'est-ce qu'un ami?_, note that the latter is the most common phrase and that it is definitely also used in formal writing. But the former is very stilted and sometimes subject to confusion (_Qu'est cela? ≠ Qu'est-ce là?_). It is therefore very rarely used nowadays.


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## geostan

There is also the colloquial: _C'est quoi, un ami?_


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## Francobritannocolombien

Maître Capello said:


> Well, you can only say that if you add a comma (_Qu'est-ce*,* un ami?_), but that would be colloquial anyway…



I personally would never describe " qu'est-ce ? " on its own as colloquial.
I can't think of a situation in which anyone would say " Qu'est-ce, un ami ? " because of the clash of registers: an informal sentence structure (the apposition of the subject at the end) containing a very formal phrase (" qu'est-ce ").



geostan said:


> There is also the colloquial: _C'est quoi, un ami?_



Now *that *is colloquial !


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## AnilaM

Lacuzon said:


> Hi,
> 
> Qu'est-ce qu'un ami ? Colloquial and idiomatic as said arundhati.
> Qu'est un ami ? Formal



I am a French native and I have never heard  a question such as :
"Qu'est un ami ?" Yet, I've heard it in the plural : "Que sont des angiomes ?"


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## kervarker

Bonjour,

La forme "Qu'est-ce que c'est, un ami ?" est aussi très courante

D'accord avec les autres réponses sur "qu'est un ami ?" : compréhensible, mais pas du tout naturel


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## Maître Capello

Francobritannocolombien said:


> I personally would never describe " qu'est-ce ? " on its own as colloquial.


I never said that! I only meant to say that appositions (with the comma) are colloquial…


> I can't think of a situation in which anyone would say " Qu'est-ce, un ami ? " because of the clash of registers: an informal sentence structure (the apposition of the subject at the end) containing a very formal phrase (" qu'est-ce ").


I fully agree. It was only trying to make the sentence correct from a pure grammatical standpoint.


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## Lang21

How would you ask what something is in French?
ex) What is an egg? What is Neuschwanstein Castle? What is a goat?
I believe you would use "Quel est?" for all of these, but I am not sure.
"Quel est un œuf?"
I know that this is very basic, but I realized that I never learned how to say it!


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## L'Inconnu

Lang21 said:


> How would you ask what something is in French? ex) What is an egg?



In Québec it's very easy. Just say <C'est quoi> and fill in the blank. Remember, it's a question, so you must raise your voice, just as you do in English.

''C'est quoi un oeuf?''

You use the same construction to ask someone's name.

''C'est quoi ton nom?''

_''C'est quoi ça?'' ''Ça c'est quoi?_'' are the Canadian French equivalents of ''Qu'est-ce que c'est?'' = "What's that?"


As for <quel>, it modifies a noun or a pronoun. When it is the subject of the verb <être> it usually means <which> but can also mean <what>, depending on English preference. 

''Quelle heure est-il?'' = ''What time is it?''
''Quel bon mec!'' = "What a good guy!"
''Quels sont les meilleurs?'' = "Which/what are the best?"


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## Fred_C

Les deux manières correctes de poser la question "what is" en français sont : (pour l'exemple "what is an egg")
"Qu'est-ce que c'est qu'un oeuf ?"
ou "qu'est-ce qu'un oeuf ?".

Vous trouverez beaucoup d'autres manières, comme "c'est quoi, un oeuf ?", ou "qu'est-ce que c'est, un oeuf ?", mais elles appartiennent au langage parlé, et sont grammaticalement douteuses.


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## Lang21

Je comprends maintenant. Merci beaucoup!


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## jenjen:3

But isn't it also acceptable to say "Qu'est-ce qui est un ami?"


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## Juan Jacob Vilalta

jenjen:3 said:


> But isn't it also acceptable to say "Qu'est-ce qui est un ami?"



Nope, sorry.
Qui est un ami?
Qu'est-ce qu'un ami?


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## jenjen:3

Then, can you explain how that's incorrect?


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## Fred_C

Oui, bien sûr.
You can consider the phrases «qu’est-ce qui» and «qu’est-ce que» as being interrogative pronouns, since they both translate as «what».
The difference between the two is that «qu’est-ce qui» is always subject, and «qu’est-ce que» is object or predicate (attribute).
In the sentence «what is a friend», you need a predicate, because «a friend» is the subject, and you are asking to describe it.

In another sentence, like «what is small, green, and going up and down», you need a subject, on the other hand. («Qu’est-ce *qui* est petit, vert…»)

Note : I said earlyer in this post that another way to ask «what is a friend» is to say «qu’est-ce que c’est qu’un ami», this is because «qu’est-ce que c’est que» is another phrase for the non-subject interrogative pronoun. Likewise, there exists another subject interrogative pronoun : «Qu’est-ce que c’est qui», but this one is not used very often.


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## jenjen:3

I was thinking about it after I posted it, and I realized exactly what you said. xD But thanks, I really appreciate it.


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