French Phrase
C'est quoi le cours de la livre aujourd'hui?
Meaning
This informal sentence asks for the current exchange rate of the British pound. It’s the kind of question you’d hear when someone is checking financial news, planning a trip, or simply curious about the value of the pound against the euro.
When to use
Use it in casual conversation with friends, at a bank, or when browsing a financial website. In formal settings (e.g., a business email) replace “C'est quoi” with “Quel est”.
✦Grammar Breakdown
C'estquoilecoursdelalivreaujourd'hui?
C'est quoi
Colloquial way to ask “what is…”. Literally “it is what”, used in spoken French instead of the more formal “Quel est…”.
Le cours
Means “the rate” or “price”, especially for currencies, stocks, or commodities.
de la
Prepositional phrase linking the noun “cours” to the object “livre”, meaning “of the”.
livre
In this context, the British pound sterling. (It can also mean “book”, so context matters.)
aujourd'hui
Means “today”, used to refer to the current day.
🗨In Conversation
C'est quoi le cours de la livre aujourd'hui?
What’s the pound’s exchange rate today?
Il est à 1,15 €.
It’s at 1.15 euros.
✕Common Mistakes
C'est quel le cours de la livre aujourd'hui?
“C'est quel” is grammatically incorrect; use “C'est quoi” or the formal “Quel est”.
C'est quoi le cours des livres aujourd'hui?
The currency is singular “livre”; adding an “s” changes the meaning to “books”.
↔Alternatives
Quel est le cours de la livre aujourd'hui?
What is the pound’s exchange rate today?
Quel est le taux de change de la livre aujourd'hui?
What is the pound’s exchange rate today?
Combien vaut la livre aujourd'hui?
How much is the pound worth today?
Cultural Tip
“C'est quoi” is perfectly natural in everyday speech, but it sounds too informal for written or professional contexts. Also, remember that “livre” can mean “book”; the surrounding words (cours, taux de change) make it clear you’re talking about money.