French Phrase
Qu'est-ce qu'on fait ?
Meaning
Literally “What is it that we do?”, this colloquial question asks for the current activity or the next plan. It can be used to confirm what everyone is doing right now or to propose a new action.
When to use
Use it in informal settings – with friends, family, or classmates – when you want to know the present activity or decide on the next step. It’s too casual for formal meetings or written correspondence.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Qu'est-cequ'onfait?
Qu'est‑ce que
A fixed interrogative phrase meaning “what”. It combines the pronoun "que" with the verb "être" and the demonstrative "ce".
Contraction "qu'"
In spoken French "que" before a vowel or mute h becomes "qu'"; here it appears twice: before "est" and before "on".
"on" as "we"
"On" is the informal pronoun that replaces "nous" in everyday conversation.
Verb "faire"
"Faire" means “to do / to make”. In the present tense, third‑person singular is "fait".
Question intonation
Even though the sentence uses the "qu'est‑ce que" structure, the spoken intonation rises at the end, signalling a question.
🗨In Conversation
Qu'est-ce qu'on fait ce soir ?
What are we doing tonight?
On pourrait aller au cinéma, si tu veux.
We could go to the movies, if you want.
✕Common Mistakes
Qu'est ce qu'on fait ?
Missing the apostrophe after "est"; the correct form is "Qu'est‑ce".
Qu'est‑ce que on fait ?
The pronoun "on" must also be contracted: "qu'on".
Que fait on ?
In spoken French the contraction "qu'" is required before a vowel; also the phrase loses the "‑ce" which changes the nuance.
Qu’est‑ce qu’on fait ?
Using a curly apostrophe (’ ) is fine typographically, but learners often type a straight apostrophe (') which can cause encoding issues in some apps.
↔Alternatives
Que fait‑on ?
What are we doing?
Qu'est‑ce qu'on va faire ?
What are we going to do?
Qu'est‑ce qu'on fait maintenant ?
What are we doing now?
Qu'est‑ce qu'on fait ce week‑end ?
What are we doing this weekend?
Cultural Tip
In French, "on" replaces "nous" in most spoken contexts, so "Qu'est‑ce qu'on fait ?" feels natural and relaxed. Avoid the formal "Que faisons‑nous ?" unless you are in a very formal or written setting. Also, the "qu'est‑ce que" construction is a staple of everyday French; mastering it will make your speech sound native‑like.