French Phrase
Tu collectionnes quoi ?
Meaning
Literally ‘You collect what?’, this informal question asks someone what items, objects, or themes they are currently collecting. It’s a friendly way to show curiosity about a hobby or passion.
When to use
Use it in casual conversation with friends, classmates, or anyone you address with ‘tu’. It works well when you already know the person has a collecting habit, or when you want to start a light‑hearted chat about hobbies.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tucollectionnesquoi?
Subject pronoun (tu)
‘Tu’ is the informal second‑person singular pronoun used with friends, family, or peers.
Present tense of ‘collectionner’
‘Collectionner’ is a regular -er verb; for ‘tu’ the ending is -es → collectionnes.
Interrogative ‘quoi’ at the end
In spoken French, a simple yes‑no or wh‑question can end with ‘quoi’ after the verb, dropping ‘est‑ce que’.
Punctuation
Even though the sentence ends with a question mark, the word order stays declarative; intonation signals the question.
🗨In Conversation
Tu collectionnes quoi ?
What do you collect?
Je collectionne des timbres depuis que je suis petit.
I've been collecting stamps since I was a kid.
✕Common Mistakes
Tu collectionne quoi ?
The verb must agree with ‘tu’; the correct form is ‘collectionnes’ (add –s).
Tu collectionnes que ?
Using ‘Que’ at the end sounds archaic; native speakers say ‘quoi’ in informal speech.
Quel collectionnes‑tu ?
‘Quel’ needs a noun after it; you cannot say ‘Quel collectionnes‑tu ?’. Use ‘Qu’est‑ce que… ?’ or ‘Quel type de… ?’ instead.
↔Alternatives
Qu'est‑ce que tu collectionnes ?
What do you collect?
Tu collectionnes quoi exactement ?
What exactly do you collect?
Quel type de choses collectionnes‑tu ?
What kind of things do you collect?
Cultural Tip
In everyday French, especially among younger speakers, the formal ‘Qu’est‑ce que… ?’ is often replaced by a short declarative clause followed by ‘quoi’. This gives the sentence a relaxed, spoken feel. However, avoid this structure in formal writing or when speaking to strangers; stick with ‘Qu’est‑ce que… ?’ or ‘Quel… ?’. Also, note that the verb must agree with the subject – ‘collectionnes’ (with an ‘s’) for ‘tu’.