French Phrase
Quelles devises échanges‑tu ?
Meaning
The sentence asks someone which currencies they are exchanging, for example at a bank, a currency‑exchange kiosk, or when traveling. It presumes the listener is actively involved in swapping money.
When to use
Use this question when you need to know the specific currencies a person can or does exchange – in a travel context, at a bank, or when discussing foreign‑exchange services. It’s a formal‑sounding query, suitable for written or polite spoken French.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quellesdeviseséchanges‑tu?
Quelles (interrogative adjective)
‘Quelles’ is the feminine plural form of ‘quel’, used to ask about a specific set of items; it must agree in gender and number with the noun that follows.
devises (noun, feminine plural)
‘Devises’ means ‘currencies’; it is a regular feminine plural noun, so it matches the adjective ‘quelles’.
Inversion with ‑tu (subject‑verb inversion)
In formal questions, the verb ‘échanger’ is inverted with the pronoun ‘tu’, linked by a hyphen: ‘échanges‑tu’. The final ‘‑tu’ is pronounced /ty/.
Liaison after ‘Quelles’
When a word ending in a silent ‘‑s’ is followed by a vowel‑initial word, the ‘‑s’ is pronounced as /z/ (e.g., ‘Quelles‑z‑devises’).
🗨In Conversation
Quelles devises échanges‑tu ?
Which currencies are you exchanging?
J’échange l’euro, le dollar et le yen.
I exchange euros, dollars and yen.
✕Common Mistakes
Quel devises échanges‑tu ?
‘Quel’ is singular masculine; it must agree with the feminine plural noun ‘devises’, so use ‘Quelles’.
Échange tu quelles devises ?
In inversion, the verb and pronoun are hyphenated and the verb stays in the second‑person singular form ‘échanges’.
Quelles devises tu échanges ?
The subject‑verb order without inversion is ungrammatical in a formal question; you need either inversion or ‘est‑ce que’.
Quelles devises échanges tu ?
The hyphen must directly connect the verb and pronoun; a space breaks the inversion.
↔Alternatives
Quelles monnaies échanges‑tu ?
Which monies are you exchanging?
Quelles devises changes‑tu ?
Which currencies do you change?
Quelles devises convertis‑tu ?
Which currencies do you convert?
Cultural Tip
In everyday spoken French, many speakers prefer the less formal “Tu échanges quelles devises ?” or “Tu changes quelles monnaies ?”. The inversion ‘échanges‑tu’ is typical of written French, news headlines, or polite conversation with strangers. Also, note that in France the word ‘devise’ can also mean a motto, so context (money exchange) is essential.