French Phrase
T'as quelque chose d'interdit ?
Meaning
Literally, “Do you have something forbidden?” The speaker is asking whether the listener possesses an object, idea, or behavior that is prohibited by law, rules, or social norms. It can be playful (e.g., in a game) or serious (e.g., suspecting contraband).
When to use
Use this phrase in informal settings with friends, classmates, or teammates. It works well when you suspect someone is hiding a secret, a cheat code, or an actual illegal item. Avoid it in formal contexts or with people you don’t know well, as the tone is very casual.
✦Grammar Breakdown
T'asquelquechosed'interdit?
Contraction T'as
T'as is the informal spoken contraction of Tu as (you have). It is common in casual conversation and never used in formal writing.
quelque chose de + adjective
When a noun phrase is followed by an adjective, French uses the preposition de (or its elided form d' before a vowel) – e.g., quelque chose d'interdit.
No inversion for yes‑no questions
In spoken French, many yes‑no questions are formed by simply raising intonation, not by inverting the subject and verb.
Elision d'
The preposition de becomes d' before a vowel or mute h, as in d'interdit.
🗨In Conversation
T'as quelque chose d'interdit ?
Do you have something forbidden?
Non, rien du tout. Pourquoi ?
No, nothing at all. Why do you ask?
✕Common Mistakes
T'as quelque chose de interdit ?
The preposition de must be elided before a vowel, becoming d'.
Tu as quelque chose d’interdit ?
While grammatically correct, using the full form Tu as sounds too formal for the casual tone of the original.
T'as quelque chose d’interdite ?
Interdit is an adjective that agrees with the masculine noun chose (which is feminine, but the expression uses the invariant form d’interdit).
↔Alternatives
Tu as quelque chose d'interdit ?
Do you have something forbidden?
Est‑ce que tu as quelque chose d'interdit ?
Do you have something forbidden?
Y a‑t‑il quelque chose d'interdit chez toi ?
Is there something forbidden at your place?
Cultural Tip
The word interdit can refer to legal bans (e.g., cigarettes in a non‑smoking area) or to social taboos (e.g., a secret love affair). In France, using this phrase with strangers can sound accusatory, so keep it among peers. Also, the informal contraction T'as signals familiarity; in a professional email you would write Tu as.