French Phrase
Quelles sont tes passions ?
Meaning
The sentence literally asks ‘Which are your passions?’ and is used to inquire about the things someone loves doing in their free time. It’s a friendly way to learn more about a person’s interests and can open up a deeper conversation.
When to use
Use this question in informal settings with friends, classmates, or anyone you address with ‘tu’. It works well when you want to get to know someone better, such as during a coffee chat, a language exchange, or a first‑date conversation.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quellessonttespassions?
Quelles (interrogative adjective)
‘Quelles’ is the feminine plural form of ‘quel’, used to ask about a plural feminine noun.
sont (être, 3rd person plural)
‘sont’ is the present tense of the verb ‘être’ for ‘ils/elles’, linking the subject to the predicate.
tes (possessive adjective)
‘tes’ is the informal second‑person singular possessive adjective, agreeing in number but not gender with the noun.
passions (noun, feminine plural)
‘passions’ is a feminine plural noun meaning ‘passions, hobbies, interests’.
🗨In Conversation
Quelles sont tes passions ?
What are your passions?
J’adore la musique, le dessin et le vélo.
I love music, drawing and cycling.
✕Common Mistakes
Quel sont tes passions ?
‘Quel’ must agree in gender and number with the noun; use ‘Quelles’ for feminine plural ‘passions’.
Quelles sont tes passion ?
‘Passion’ is plural here, so the possessive must also be plural: ‘tes passions’.
Quelles sont tes passions ? (when speaking formally)
‘Vos’ is correct for formal address, but using it with ‘tu’ creates a register mismatch. Choose either ‘tes passions’ (informal) or ‘vos passions’ (formal).
↔Alternatives
Qu’est‑ce qui te passionne ?
What excites you?
Quelles sont tes activités préférées ?
What are your favourite activities?
Qu’est‑ce que tu aimes faire pendant ton temps libre ?
What do you like to do in your free time?
Cultural Tip
In French, the choice between ‘tes’ (informal) and ‘vos’ (formal) signals the level of familiarity. With strangers or in professional contexts, you’d say ‘Quelles sont vos passions ?’ to stay polite. Also, French speakers often follow up with ‘Et toi ?’ to keep the conversation reciprocal.