French Phrase
Dis quand c'est arrivé.
Meaning
A direct, informal request asking someone to tell you the moment a past event took place. It’s equivalent to ‘Tell me when it happened.’ The speaker expects a specific time reference.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual conversation with friends, family, or peers when you need the exact timing of something that already occurred. Switch to the formal imperative ‘Dites‑moi…’ with strangers or in professional settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Disquandc'estarrivé.
Imperative of dire
‘Dis’ is the second‑person singular informal imperative of the verb *dire* (to say/tell). Use ‘Dis‑moi…’ for a complete request.
Quand = when
‘Quand’ introduces a temporal clause and can be used directly after an imperative to ask for a time.
c' = ce
‘c'’ is the elided form of *ce* before a vowel, as in *c’est* (it is/that is).
Passé composé with être
‘arrivé’ is the past participle of *arriver* and forms the passé composé with *être*: *c’est arrivé* = ‘it happened/arrived’.
Pronunciation liaison
In spoken French the final *s* of *dis* is silent, but a liaison can appear before *quand*: [di‿kɑ̃].
🗨In Conversation
Dis quand c'est arrivé.
Tell me when it happened.
C'était hier soir, vers vingt heures.
It was last night, around eight o’clock.
✕Common Mistakes
Dit quand c'est arrivé.
‘Dit’ is the third‑person singular present of *dire*; the correct imperative for ‘you (informal)’ is ‘Dis’.
Dis quand ça arrivé.
Learners sometimes replace *c’est* with *ça* in this structure, but *c’est* is required because the verb *arriver* uses *être*.
Dis quand c'est arrivé(e).
The past participle must agree with the subject when *arriver* uses *être*. With a masculine singular subject, *arrivé* is correct; with a feminine subject, use *arrivée*.
↔Alternatives
Dites‑moi quand c'est arrivé.
Tell me when it happened.
Peux‑tu me dire quand c'est arrivé ?
Can you tell me when it happened?
Quand est‑ce que ça s'est passé ?
When did it happen?
Cultural Tip
‘Dis’ is informal; using it with strangers can sound rude. In France, the polite form ‘Dites‑moi…’ or the more neutral ‘Pouvez‑vous me dire…’ is preferred in formal contexts. Also, French speakers often prefer the construction *Quand est‑ce que…* for questions, but the imperative version adds urgency or immediacy.