French Phrase
Qu'est-ce que tu en penses ?
Meaning
Literally ‘What is it that you think of it?’, this phrase asks the listener for their opinion about something that has just been mentioned or is understood from context.
When to use
Use it in informal or semi‑formal conversations when you want to know someone’s point of view on a topic, a suggestion, a piece of news, or a piece of art. It works well after you’ve introduced the subject, e.g., ‘J’ai vu ce film hier. Qu’est‑ce que tu en penses ?’
✦Grammar Breakdown
Qu'est‑cequetuenpenses?
Qu’est‑ce que
Standard interrogative structure for open‑ended questions; literally ‘what is it that…’.
en (pronoun)
Replaces a previously mentioned idea, thing or situation and is placed before the verb.
penser + en
When ‘penser’ is used with ‘en’, the verb agrees with the subject (tu penses) and the pronoun stays before the verb.
Inversion vs. normal order
In spoken French the inversion ‘penses‑tu’ is often replaced by the more fluid ‘tu en penses’.
🗨In Conversation
J’ai lu le nouveau roman de Murakami. Qu’est‑ce que tu en penses ?
I read Murakami’s new novel. What do you think about it?
Je le trouve très poétique, même si le rythme est parfois lent.
I find it very poetic, although the pacing is a bit slow.
✕Common Mistakes
Que penses tu en ?
The pronoun ‘en’ must come before the verb, not after it.
Qu’est‑ce que tu penses ?
Missing ‘en’ makes the sentence incomplete because the object of the opinion is not specified.
Qu’est‑ce que tu en pensez ?
Verb agreement error – with ‘tu’ the verb is ‘penses’, not ‘pensez’.
↔Alternatives
Qu'en penses‑tu ?
What do you think of it?
Quel est ton avis ?
What’s your opinion?
Que penses‑tu de ça ?
What do you think of that?
Cultural Tip
In everyday French, the shortened form ‘Qu’en penses‑tu ?’ is more common than the full ‘Qu’est‑ce que tu en penses ?’. The phrase is neutral; however, in very formal settings you might prefer ‘Quel est votre avis ?’. Remember that ‘en’ must refer to something already mentioned – otherwise the sentence sounds vague.