French Phrase
Comment définis‑tu le succès ?
Meaning
The sentence asks the listener to explain their personal definition of success. It is a reflective question that invites the speaker to share values, goals, or criteria that they consider as ‘success’. The tone is inquisitive yet respectful.
When to use
Use this question in interviews, networking events, classroom debates, or any conversation where you want to explore someone’s ambitions or philosophy. It works well in semi‑formal or formal settings; in casual speech you might drop the inversion.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Commentdéfinis‑tulesuccès?
Comment (interrogatif)
‘Comment’ is an interrogative adverb meaning ‘how’. It introduces a question about manner or definition.
Inversion with –tu
In formal French, the verb precedes the subject pronoun and is linked with a hyphen: ‘définis‑tu’. The final –s of ‘définis’ is kept for the liaison with the following ‘tu’.
Definir (present, 2nd pers. sg.)
‘définir’ conjugated in the present tense for ‘tu’ is ‘définis’. It means ‘to define’.
Definite article le
‘le’ is the masculine singular definite article that precedes the noun ‘succès’.
Succès (masc. noun)
‘succès’ means ‘success’; it is masculine, so it takes ‘le’.
🗨In Conversation
Comment définis‑tu le succès ?
How do you define success?
Pour moi, le succès, c’est être heureux tout en aidant les autres à atteindre leurs objectifs.
For me, success is being happy while helping others achieve their goals.
✕Common Mistakes
Comment tu définis le succès ?
In formal written French the inversion ‘définis‑tu’ is required; the version without inversion is colloquial.
Comment définir le succès ?
Using the infinitive ‘définir’ changes the meaning to ‘How to define success?’ rather than asking the person’s personal definition.
Comment définis‑tu succès ?
The noun ‘succès’ needs the definite article ‘le’.
↔Alternatives
Comment est‑ce que tu définis le succès ?
How do you define success?
Quelle est ta définition du succès ?
What is your definition of success?
Comment vois‑tu le succès ?
How do you see success?
Cultural Tip
In French culture, modesty (la modestie) is valued, so people may hesitate to give a grandiose definition of success. It’s common to frame success in terms of personal fulfillment, work‑life balance, or contributing to the community rather than purely material achievements. Adjust your answer to the context – a business interview may expect a more performance‑oriented answer, while a casual chat may welcome a more philosophical response.