What is this / What is that?

Jaime B.A1Kwiziq community member

What is this / What is that?

I just want to clarify can the following be either, 'what is this' or 'what is that?' If not, how do you change the sentence to be one or the other?


Or is it it for example:


qu'est-ce que c'est : What is that?

qu'est-ce que c'est que cela: What is this?


Qu'est-ce que c'est que cela ?What is that?  /  What is this?Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça ?What is that?  /  What is this?C'est quoi ça ?What is this? / What is that?
Asked 3 months ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

To distinguish between "What is this?" and "What is that?" you can use:

Qu'est-ce que ceci ? -- What is this?

Qu'est-ce que cela ? or Qu'est-ce que ça ? -- What is that?

However, Qu'est-ce que c'est ? is versatile and widely used for both questions in everyday conversation.

Sims L.A1Kwiziq community member

I personally just add intonation at the end of a sentence to make it a question and to keep it simple. “Tu es là.” (You are here) becomes “Tu es là?” with the intonation going up at the end. You know how everyone says us California girls do something called upspeak where every sentence we say sounds like a question? Yeah, just do that in French when wanting to ask a question. I guess my natural inclination towards upspeak is useful for something!

Sims L.A1Kwiziq community member

I personally just add intonation at the end of a sentence to make it a question and to keep it simple. “Tu es là.” (You are here) becomes “Tu es là?” with the intonation going up at the end. You know how everyone says us California girls do something called upspeak where every sentence we say sounds like a question? Yeah, just do that in French when wanting to ask a question. I guess my natural inclination towards upspeak is useful for something!

What is this / What is that?

I just want to clarify can the following be either, 'what is this' or 'what is that?' If not, how do you change the sentence to be one or the other?


Or is it it for example:


qu'est-ce que c'est : What is that?

qu'est-ce que c'est que cela: What is this?


Qu'est-ce que c'est que cela ?What is that?  /  What is this?Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça ?What is that?  /  What is this?C'est quoi ça ?What is this? / What is that?

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Thinking...