Two patterns for exclaiming
An exclamation is an ordinary sentence with an exclamation word in front. Which word you use depends on what you are reacting to: a noun (what talent!) or a whole statement (how beautiful that is!).
The frame around the sentence
Quel: exclaiming about a noun
Quel agrees with the noun: quel, quelle, quels, quelles. All four sound the same. Unlike what a …!, there is no article: What a stroke of luck! is Quelle chance !, not Quelle une chance !
An adjective goes in its usual place: Quelle belle journée !, but Quelle journée magnifique !
Quel in a sentence
Quelle bonne idée !
What a good idea!
Quelle chance tu as !
How lucky you are!
Quelles belles photos vous avez prises !
What beautiful photos you took!
Quel dommage que tu ne puisses pas venir !
What a pity you can't come!
Comme, que, ce que: exclaiming about a statement
When the exclamation is about a whole sentence, it corresponds to English how …! There are four words, and they differ only in register. A normal statement follows, with no inversion.
Four words for how
| Exclamation word | Register |
|---|---|
| Que | formal, more written |
| Comme | neutral |
| Ce que | spoken, very common |
| Qu'est-ce que | spoken, extra emphatic |
from formal to spoken
Comme, que, ce que in a sentence
Que c'est beau !
How beautiful it is!
Comme tu as grandi !
How you have grown!
Ce qu'il fait chaud ici !
It's so hot in here!
Qu'est-ce que tu es gentil !
You are so kind!
Qu'est-ce que looks like a question, but here it is not: a statement follows and the voice falls at the end. The exclamation word can also go with a verb: Comme il pleut !
In everyday speech you can also intensify with si and tellement: Il est si gentil !, Elle travaille tellement !
The spoken exclamation
In conversation you often hear fixed short forms instead of whole sentences. The melody matters too: an exclamation falls at the end, a question rises.
Fixed exclamations to take with you
Short and spoken
Quelle horreur ! Tu as vu le prix ?
How awful! Did you see the price?
La vache ! Elle a couru un marathon.
Wow! She ran a marathon.
Dis donc, tu es bien élégant aujourd'hui !
Hey, you look very smart today!
Exclamation or question?
Il est beau, ce jardin !
Isn't it beautiful, this garden! (exclamation, the voice falls)
Il est beau, ce jardin ?
Is it nice, this garden? (question, the voice rises)
