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Lesson 14 of 240

New here? This is lesson 14 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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What is this in French

Sam is back at Café des Tilleuls. The window table still has its blank brass sign, and he finally points at it.

Odile is at the zinc counter. Gaspard watches the empty chairs from the next table.

By the end, you'll ask what something is, who someone is, when it is, and who it is for.

C'est à quelle heure is for a time on a thing in front of you, not the clock.

By the end of this lesson

Ask what, who, and when about things in front of you.

  • C'est quoi, ça ?What's this?
  • Qu'est-ce que c'est ?What is it?
  • C'est qui ?Who's that?
  • C'est quand ?When is it?
  • C'est à quelle heure ?What time is that?
  • C'est pour qui ?Who is it for?

Scene — the blank sign

Same café on rue des Tilleuls. Sam stands by the window table and points at the blank brass sign.

Odile watches from the zinc counter. Gaspard sits on two chairs at the next table, café crème untouched, eyes on the empty seats.

Sam points at a blank brass plaque by the window while Odile watches from the zinc and Gaspard sits on a pair of chairs looking at empty seats.

Learn — what, who, and when

Six short questions help you ask what, who, when, and who something is for.

You point at a thing in front of you and ask. Clock time comes later.

  1. Sam points a finger at the blank brass plaque beside the window table.

    C'est quoi, ça ?

    What's this?

    When to use it: Point at a thing in front of you and ask this.

    Learn it as one piece when you point at a thing.

  2. Odile leans on the zinc and looks across the room toward the window table.

    Qu'est-ce que c'est ?

    What is it?

    When to use it: Ask this when you want a clearer what-is-it.

    Learn it as one piece; it is just a longer what.

    Say it: The e of que drops, so you get Qu'est.

  3. Gaspard sits in profile on a pair of chairs, café crème untouched, looking at empty seats.

    C'est qui ?

    Who's that?

    When to use it: Point at a person and ask who that is.

    Learn it as one piece for a person in view.

  4. From behind Odile, Sam faces the counter with both palms open, asking who the reserved table is for.

    C'est quand ?

    When is it?

    When to use it: Ask this about an event you can see, like a poster.

    Learn it as one piece for when something happens.

    Say it: The d in quand is silent.

  5. From above, Odile behind the zinc lifts a watch and glances toward the window table.

    C'est à quelle heure ?

    What time is that?

    When to use it: Ask this about a time written on something in front of you.

    Learn it as one piece for a time on a poster.

    Say it: The t in C'est links into à.

  6. Monsieur Lefebvre steps in from the street while Gaspard turns on a pair of chairs and nods toward the door.

    C'est pour qui ?

    Who is it for?

    When to use it: Ask this when a thing is clearly for someone.

    Learn it as one piece when you ask the person.

Story — she keeps it empty

Watch Sam point at the brass sign on the window table. Odile will not let anyone sit there.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Sam stops at the window table and points at the blank brass sign.
  2. SamC'est quoi, ça ?What's this?
  3. OdileC'est réservé.It's reserved.
  4. SamC'est pour qui ?Who is it for?
  5. OdilePour un client.For a customer.
  6. Gaspard watches the empty chairs from the next table. He does not sit there.
  7. A man steps in. Gaspard nods toward the door.
  8. SamC'est qui ?Who's that?
  9. OdileC'est un voisin.He's a neighbor.
  10. Sam turns to the chalkboard by the bar.
  11. SamQu'est-ce que c'est ?What is it?
  12. OdileUn marché.A market.
  13. SamC'est quand ?When is it?
  14. OdileSamedi.Saturday.
  15. SamC'est à quelle heure ?What time is that?
  16. OdileLe matin.In the morning.

Practice — point and ask

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and swap a word.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    C'est quoi, ça ?Drop the English here
    Qu'est-ce que c'est ?Drop the English here
    C'est qui ?Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its French, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    You walk into Café des Tilleuls in the morning. Odile looks at you and waits.

  4. Fill the gap

    Who's that?

    C'est ____ ?

  5. What does it mean?

    Qu'est-ce que c'est ?

  6. Swap the word

    The brass sign is on the window table. Ask who it is for.

    C'est pour ____ ?

  7. Fill the gap

    What time is that?

    C'est à quelle ____ ?

  8. Pick the reply

    Odile says:

    Samedi, il y a un marché.

    On Saturday there's a market.

    And you reply with:

  9. What do you say?

    Odile mentions a concert. You want the day it happens.

  10. Find the mistake

  11. True or false?

    Use this to ask what the brass sign is.

Say it — ask out loud

Now you're Sam at the café, looking at the sign and the chalkboard. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. OdileBonjour.Hello.
  2. Sam (you)Say hello back. It is still morning.

    Bonjour.

    Hello

0 of 7 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
C'est quoi, ça ?What's this?
Qu'est-ce que c'est ?What is it?
C'est qui ?Who's that?
C'est quand ?When is it?
C'est à quelle heure ?What time is that?
C'est pour qui ?Who is it for?
Next: lesson 15Numbers one to ten

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps what, who, and when ready at the table.

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