“What happened?” is a question we ask all the time, whether we're curious about a friend's day or trying to understand a situation. In French, just like in English, there isn't just one way to ask this! Depending on the context, the formality, and the specific nuance you want to convey, you'll find a variety of expressions to choose from. Let's dive into 9 different ways you can ask “what happened?” in French, so you'll always have the perfect phrase at your fingertips.

The standard, most common way – Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ?

Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ? is the most common and versatile way to ask “What happened?” in French. It's your essential phrase for inquiring about past events, from minor incidents to significant occurrences.

This phrase literally translates to "What is it that happened?". It combines:

Qu'est-ce qui: "What is it that" – a fundamental interrogative construction in French.
s'est passé: The past participle of the reflexive verb se passer (to happen, to occur), conjugated in the passé composé.

Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ? is suitable for virtually any situation, whether formal or informal. It's polite enough for use with strangers or in professional settings, yet natural and common among close friends and family, making it universally accepted.

While Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ? is always a safe bet, in very informal contexts, you might encounter or hear shorter variations. For instance, Il s'est passé quoi ? (literally "It happened what?") or even just Quoi ? (What?) with an inquisitive tone, though Quoi ? can sometimes sound abrupt or impolite if not delivered with care.

The phrase utilizes the passé composé (past tense) of the reflexive verb se passer (to happen). Reflexive verbs in French always use être as their auxiliary verb in the passé composé. The s' before est is the reflexive pronoun, and passé is the past participle.

Its clear structure, grammatical correctness, and widespread use make Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ? the most natural and unambiguous choice for asking "What happened?". It's a phrase that every French speaker will instantly understand and appreciate.

💡 * Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ici ? (What happened here?)

Dis-moi, qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ? (Tell me, what happened?)

Je ne comprends pas, qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ? (I don't understand, what happened?)

Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé pendant mon absence ? (What happened during my absence?)

Après le bruit, tout le monde s'est demandé : qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ? (After the noise, everyone wondered: what happened?)

The more formal inversion – Que s'est-il passé ?

While French offers several ways to ask questions, one of the most elegant and formal methods is through inversion. This involves swapping the order of the subject and verb, often with the addition of a hyphen.

A prime example of this formal structure is the phrase Que s'est-il passé ? (What happened?). This particular construction is frequently encountered in written French, news reports, and formal spoken contexts.

In Que s'est-il passé ?, que acts as the interrogative pronoun. The key lies in the inverted structure s'est-il passé. Here, the auxiliary verb être (s'est) is placed before the subject pronoun il, connected by a hyphen. The t is inserted for euphony, as the verb est ends in a vowel and the pronoun il starts with a vowel.

This formal inversion is typically reserved for more elevated discourse. You'll find it in official communications, journalistic writing, literature, and when addressing someone with respect or in a formal setting. It lends a sophisticated tone to the question.

For everyday conversations, French speakers often opt for less formal structures like Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ? or simply Il s'est passé quoi ? The inverted form, while grammatically correct and elegant, is less common in casual spoken French.

💡 * Que voulez-vous faire ? (What do you want to do?)

Où est-elle partie ? (Where did she leave?)

Pourquoi est-il venu ? (Why did he come?)

Quand arriveront-ils ? (When will they arrive?)

The informal, colloquial version – Il s'est passé quoi ?

When you're among friends or in a casual setting, the most common way to ask 'What happened?' is Il s'est passé quoi ?

This phrase is highly informal and is essentially a colloquial inversion of the more standard Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ? or Que s'est-il passé ?

Literally, it translates to 'It happened what?', which highlights its colloquial structure, placing the interrogative pronoun quoi at the end of the sentence.

You would typically use Il s'est passé quoi ? when you arrive somewhere and notice something has occurred, or when someone looks upset, surprised, or excited, and you want to know the reason.

It's a very natural and common expression in spoken French, reflecting a relaxed tone and direct curiosity, making it essential for sounding like a native speaker.

💡 * Tu as l'air choqué, il s'est passé quoi ? (You look shocked, what happened?)

Je viens d'arriver, il s'est passé quoi ici ? (I just arrived, what happened here?)

Dis-moi vite, il s'est passé quoi pendant mon absence ? (Tell me quickly, what happened during my absence?)

Pourquoi tout le monde crie ? Il s'est passé quoi ? (Why is everyone shouting? What happened?)

The slightly more formal 'occurred' – Que s'est-il produit ?

When you want to ask 'What happened?' or 'What occurred?' in a slightly more formal French context, the phrase Que s'est-il produit ? is the perfect expression. It implies a more official or serious inquiry into an event.

Unlike the very common and informal Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ?, Que s'est-il produit ? lends a more formal tone. You'll often encounter it in news reports, official discussions, or when seeking a precise account of a significant event.

This phrase utilizes the verb se produire (to happen, to occur) in the passé composé, combined with an inverted subject-verb structure characteristic of formal questions. The 'il' is an impersonal pronoun referring to the event.

💡 *Que s'est-il produit lors de la conférence de presse ? (What occurred during the press conference?)
*La police a demandé : Que s'est-il produit ici ? (The police asked: What happened here?)
*Nous attendons le rapport pour savoir que s'est-il produit exactement. (We are waiting for the report to know what exactly occurred.)
*Personne ne comprend que s'est-il produit ce jour-là. (No one understands what happened that day.)

The common informal 'occurred' – Qu'est-ce qui s'est produit ?

The common informal 'occurred' – Qu'est-ce qui s'est produit ? This phrase is a prevalent and natural way to ask "What happened?" or "What occurred?" in French.

Qu'est-ce qui s'est produit ? literally translates to "What is it that produced itself?" but is commonly understood and used as "What happened?" or "What occurred?".

This expression is quite informal and is frequently used in daily conversations among friends, family, or in casual settings. It carries a more relaxed tone compared to more formal alternatives like Que s'est-il passé ?.

The phrase employs the interrogative pronoun qu'est-ce qui ("what is it that") followed by the reflexive verb se produire (to happen, to occur) conjugated in the passé composé (past tense).

While similar to Que s'est-il passé ?, Qu'est-ce qui s'est produit ? often implies a slightly more direct or even an inquisitive tone, seeking specific details or an explanation about the event that transpired.

Use Qu'est-ce qui s'est produit ? when you want to inquire about an event informally, particularly if you're looking for an explanation or details about what exactly transpired or came to pass.

💡 * Tu as l'air inquiet, qu'est-ce qui s'est produit ? (You look worried, what happened?)

Il y a eu un bruit bizarre dehors, qu'est-ce qui s'est produit ? (There was a strange noise outside, what occurred?)

Je suis arrivé en retard, qu'est-ce qui s'est produit pendant mon absence ? (I arrived late, what happened during my absence?)

Elle est partie en colère, qu'est-ce qui s'est produit entre vous ? (She left angry, what happened between you?)

The 'what was there' (implying what occurred) – Qu'est-ce qu'il y a eu ?

The phrase Qu'est-ce qu'il y a eu ? literally translates to 'What is there was?' but its practical meaning is 'What happened?' or 'What occurred?' It's used to inquire about past events or situations.

The key element here is eu, the past participle of avoir (to have), which, when combined with il y a (there is), forms il y a eu (there was/were). This construction specifically asks about something that has taken place or occurred.

It's important to distinguish Qu'est-ce qu'il y a eu ? from Qu'est-ce qu'il y a ? (What is there? / What's wrong?). While the latter asks about the current state or problem, Qu'est-ce qu'il y a eu ? specifically refers to a past incident or an event that led to the current situation.

You'd use this question when you arrive at a scene where something clearly happened (e.g., an accident, an argument, a sudden change) and you want to know the cause or the sequence of events. It's a direct way to ask for an explanation of a past situation.

This is a very common and neutral way to inquire about past events. It's neither overly formal nor overly informal, making it suitable for most everyday conversations when seeking information about something that has transpired.

💡 *Tu as l'air inquiet, qu'est-ce qu'il y a eu ? (You look worried, what happened?)
*Je suis arrivé et tout était cassé. Qu'est-ce qu'il y a eu ici ? (I arrived and everything was broken. What happened here?)
*Elle est partie en pleurant. Qu'est-ce qu'il y a eu entre vous ? (She left crying. What happened between you two?)
*Pourquoi la police est là ? Qu'est-ce qu'il y a eu ? (Why is the police here? What happened?)
*Il y a eu un problème hier soir, qu'est-ce qu'il y a eu exactement ? (There was a problem last night, what exactly happened?)

The informal 'what arrived' (implying what happened) – C'est arrivé quoi ?

In informal French, to ask 'what happened?' or 'what's up?', you might hear the phrase C'est arrivé quoi ?

Literally translating to 'it arrived what?', this expression is a very casual way to inquire about an event or situation. It's often used when you encounter someone and sense that something has occurred, or you're curious about recent developments.

Notice the informal inversion of quoi at the end of the sentence. While grammatically Qu'est-ce qui est arrivé ? or Que s'est-il passé ? are standard, C'est arrivé quoi ? is a common, relaxed alternative, especially among younger speakers or in very familiar settings.

💡 * Tu as l'air inquiet, c'est arrivé quoi ? (You look worried, what happened?)

Je suis en retard, c'est arrivé quoi pendant mon absence ? (I'm late, what happened while I was gone?)

Les lumières sont éteintes, c'est arrivé quoi ici ? (The lights are off, what happened here?)

Il y a eu un bruit bizarre, c'est arrivé quoi ? (There was a strange noise, what happened?)

The 'what's wrong/what is it' (when something clearly just happened) – Qu'est-ce qu'il y a ?

The 'what's wrong/what is it' (when something clearly just happened) – Qu'est-ce qu'il y a ?

Qu'est-ce qu'il y a ? is a common French phrase used to ask "What's wrong?" or "What is it?" when it's clear something has happened or is amiss.

You typically use this expression when someone looks upset, sad, or surprised, or when there's an unusual situation that needs an explanation. It implies a direct inquiry into a visible or palpable issue.

While superficially similar to Qu'est-ce que c'est ? (What is that?), Qu'est-ce qu'il y a ? specifically targets a problem, a feeling, or an event that has just occurred, rather than identifying an object.

💡 *Tu as l'air triste. Qu'est-ce qu'il y a ? (You look sad. What's wrong?)
*Il y a beaucoup de bruit dehors. Qu'est-ce qu'il y a ? (There's a lot of noise outside. What's going on?)
*Elle pleure. Qu'est-ce qu'il y a ? (She's crying. What's wrong?)
*Le moteur fait un drôle de bruit. Qu'est-ce qu'il y a ? (The engine is making a strange noise. What's wrong with it?)

The 'what's this story/mess' (asking for the explanation of an event) – C'est quoi cette histoire ?

The French phrase C'est quoi cette histoire ? literally translates to 'What is this story?' but it's used idiomatically to mean 'What's going on here?', 'What's this mess?', or 'What's the meaning of this?'. It's a common, informal way to demand an explanation for an unexpected or confusing situation.

This expression is typically used when you are surprised, confused, or even annoyed by an event or a state of affairs that you don't understand. It conveys a sense of urgency and often implies a demand for an immediate explanation, suggesting that something unexpected or potentially problematic has occurred.

While C'est quoi cette histoire ? can stand alone, you can also specify the subject by adding de (of/about) followed by a noun or pronoun. For example, C'est quoi cette histoire de déménagement ? asks 'What's this story about moving?' It's important to remember this is an informal phrase, best suited for casual conversations.

💡 * Tu es en retard et tu as l'air énervé. C'est quoi cette histoire ? (You're late and you look annoyed. What's going on?)

J'ai entendu des rumeurs bizarres. C'est quoi cette histoire ? (I heard some strange rumors. What's this all about?)

Je rentre et la maison est en désordre. C'est quoi cette histoire ? (I come home and the house is a mess. What's going on?)

Il a démissionné sans prévenir personne. C'est quoi cette histoire ? (He resigned without telling anyone. What's the story?)

On m'a dit que tu ne venais pas à la fête. C'est quoi cette histoire ? (I was told you weren't coming to the party. What's this all about?)

Are there other ways to say 'what happened' in French?

While we've covered the most common and versatile ways to ask 'what happened' in French, the language is incredibly rich. You'll find numerous nuanced expressions depending on the formality, urgency, and specific context of the situation.

To explore further, you might search online for phrases like 'comment demander ce qui s'est passé en français' or look for expressions related to specific events, such as 'what happened at the accident' (que s'est-il passé à l'accident) or 'what's going on' (qu'est-ce qui se passe).

When you encounter new expressions for 'what happened,' always confirm their meaning and observe how native speakers use them in different contexts. This will help you understand their specific connotations and appropriateness.

Immerse yourself in French media — books, films, podcasts, and conversations. You'll naturally pick up on subtle variations and more idiomatic ways to inquire about events as they unfold.

For a comprehensive look at expressions related to 'what happened' or 'what's going on,' the WordReference forums and entries for verbs like se passer (to happen) or arriver (to arrive/happen) are excellent starting points.

I hope this guide has illuminated the various ways to ask 'what happened' in French. Remember, mastering these expressions comes with practice and exposure. As the French proverb says, 'C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron' (It is by forging that one becomes a blacksmith), meaning practice makes perfect!

9 ways to say "what happened" in French