French Phrase
Qu'est-ce que tu veux apprendre ?
Meaning
Literally “What is it that you want to learn?” – a polite way to ask someone what subject, skill, or topic they would like to study or master.
When to use
Use this question in informal conversations with friends, classmates, or language‑exchange partners when you want to know their learning interests. Switch to the formal “vous” form (Qu’est‑ce que vous voulez apprendre ?) with strangers or in professional settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Qu'est‑cequetuveuxapprendre?
Qu’est‑ce que
The fixed interrogative phrase “qu’est‑ce que” introduces a question and is equivalent to “what”. It is used before a subject‑verb order.
tu (informal you)
The pronoun “tu” is the informal second‑person singular, used with friends, family, or peers.
vouloir (present)
“veux” is the 1st‑person singular present of vouloir, meaning “to want”. It agrees with the subject “tu”.
infinitive after vouloir
When vouloir is followed by another verb, the second verb stays in the infinitive (here, “apprendre”).
🗨In Conversation
Qu'est-ce que tu veux apprendre ?
What do you want to learn?
J'aimerais apprendre le piano.
I’d like to learn the piano.
✕Common Mistakes
Qu'est ce que tu veux apprendre ?
Missing the apostrophe after “Qu’” and the hyphen in “est‑ce”. The correct form is “Qu’est‑ce que”.
Tu veux apprendre quoi ?
While understandable, placing “quoi” at the end is very informal and can sound abrupt. Use the full “Qu’est‑ce que tu veux apprendre ?” for polite conversation.
Qu’est‑ce que vous veux apprendre ?
When using the formal “vous”, the verb must agree: “vous voulez”.
↔Alternatives
Qu'aimerais‑tu apprendre ?
What would you like to learn?
Que veux‑tu apprendre ?
What do you want to learn?
Quel sujet veux‑tu étudier ?
Which subject do you want to study?
Cultural Tip
In French, the choice between “tu” and “vous” signals the level of familiarity. With strangers, teachers, or in a business context, use the formal “vous” (Qu’est‑ce que vous voulez apprendre ?). Also, “qu’est‑ce que” is very common in spoken French, but written French often prefers the more concise “que” construction (e.g., “Que veux‑tu apprendre ?”).