quel/kɛl/
determiner / pronoun · A1
determinermasculine
Meanings
which
Used as a determiner in interrogative sentences to specify a particular object.
what, what a (used to form exclamations)
Used in exclamatory sentences to express strong emotion or emphasis.
Examples
Quel bus prends-tu pour aller au centre-ville ?
Which bus are you taking to get downtown?
Quel dessert préfères-tu après le dîner ?
Which dessert do you prefer after dinner?
Quel magnifique coucher de soleil !
What a magnificent sunset!
Collocations
- quel jourwhich day
- quel livrewhich book
- quel dommagewhat a pity
Common mistakes
quel est ton nom?
quel est ton prénom?
Quel is usually used to limit nouns; nom and prénom have different meanings and are often confused.
Quel beau!
Quel beau jour!
Quel must modify a noun in exclamatory sentences and cannot be used alone.
Related words
- synonymlequelwhich one
synonymquellewhich (feminine)
pronounmasculine
Meanings
what
Commonly used in interrogative sentences, followed by a noun or noun phrase to inquire about specific things or qualities.
Examples
Quel préfères-tu pour la couverture, le rouge ou le bleu ?
Which do you prefer for the cover, red or blue?
Quel te semble le plus pratique pour le voyage ?
Which one seems most practical for the trip?
Quel correspond à ta réservation ?
Which one matches your reservation?
Collocations
- quel est ton nomwhat is your name
- quel genrewhat kind
- quel âgewhat age
Common mistakes
quel est ton nom?
quel est ton prénom?
‘quel’ should be followed by a noun or noun phrase; while ‘nom’ is correct, ‘prénom’ is more natural in everyday use.
quel est la couleur?
quelle est la couleur?
‘couleur’ is a feminine noun, so ‘quel’ must agree in gender as ‘quelle’.
Related words
determinermasculine
Meanings
which
Used as a determiner in interrogative sentences to specify a particular object.
what, what a (used to form exclamations)
Used in exclamatory sentences to express strong emotion or emphasis.
Examples
Quel bus prends-tu pour aller au centre-ville ?
Which bus are you taking to get downtown?
Quel dessert préfères-tu après le dîner ?
Which dessert do you prefer after dinner?
Quel magnifique coucher de soleil !
What a magnificent sunset!
Collocations
- quel jourwhich day
- quel livrewhich book
- quel dommagewhat a pity
Common mistakes
quel est ton nom?
quel est ton prénom?
Quel is usually used to limit nouns; nom and prénom have different meanings and are often confused.
Quel beau!
Quel beau jour!
Quel must modify a noun in exclamatory sentences and cannot be used alone.
Related words
- synonymlequelwhich one
synonymquellewhich (feminine)