Quel, quelle, quels, quelles + noun = What a ...

Posted by Aurélie Drouard

In: Level A2, Adjectives & Adverbs, Adjectif

Questions: 3

Look at these exclamations:

Quelle bonne idée !
What a good idea!

Quel cadeau extraordinaire !
What an amazing gift!

Quelles excuses minables !
What lousy excuses!

Quels beaux enfants !
What beautiful children!

Note that to express an exclamation starting with "what a" + noun in French, you will use the exclamative adjective quel + noun.

Also note that quel agrees in gender and number with the noun it refers to: quel, quelle, quels, quelles.

ATTENTION: you never say "Quel un beau matin !"

ATTENTION: Quel + noun can also be used in a question to mean "Which (thing)?". The only way to distinguish the two uses is context: you wouldn't say "Which beautiful dress !".

See also Questions: Quel, quels, quelle, quelles = Which / what ? 

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Johnny

Kwiziq community member

19 June 2017

2 replies

you never say "Quel un beau matin !"

So how would one say "What a beatiful morning!"? Also, this lesson addresses "What a...!" How do I say "how kind of you"?

Ron

Kwiziq community member

20 June 2017

20/06/17

Bonjour Johnny, One way to say «how kind of you» is C'est trés gentil de votre part. I am sure there are other ways which are better.

Aurélie

Kwiziq language super star

20 June 2017

20/06/17

Bonjour Johnny ! To say "What a beautiful morning!", you will indeed omit the article "un" but keep the rest as is: "Quel beau matin!" As for "how kind of you" and such sentences, it's much trickier to express in French, as this structure simply doesn't exist. Instead, you will use "Comme c'est gentil de votre part !" or "Comme vous êtes gentil !" I hope that's helpful! À bientôt !

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