In French, "Comment on dit ?" (How do you say?) and "Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ?" (What does that mean?) are two questions frequently used to learn new words.
Comment on dit ?
This question is generally used to ask how to express an idea or a word in another language.
Examples
- - Comment on dit «apple» en français ? (How do you say "apple" in French?)
- On dit «une pomme». (You say "une pomme".) - Comment on dit ça en anglais ? (How do you say it in English?)
Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ?
This question is asked to inquire about the meaning of a word or an expression. It generates an explanation or a definition in the target language (i.e. French).
Examples
- - Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire SNCF ? (What does SNCF mean?)
- Ça veut dire Société Nationale de Chemins de Fer. (It means National Society of French Railways.) - - Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire «Jean» ? (What does "Jean" mean?)
- Jean ? C'est un prénom. (Jean? It's a first name.)
- Ah, d'accord. (Ah, I see.)
Exercises on the same or a similar theme.
There are 9 exercises related to this sheet. Log in to your account to access them.