French Phrase
C'est quoi la bande passante ?
Meaning
The sentence literally asks “What is the bandwidth?” It is used when someone wants a definition or clarification of the technical term “bande passante,” which refers to the data‑transfer capacity of a network or internet connection.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal spoken French when discussing internet speed, network performance, or any situation where you need a quick definition of bandwidth. In written or formal contexts, replace it with "Qu'est‑ce que la bande passante ?"
✦Grammar Breakdown
C'estquoilabandepassante?
C'est
Contraction of "ce est" used for identification or definition; in spoken French it often introduces a question.
quoi after C'est
"Quoi" can follow "c'est" to form an informal question meaning "what is…"
la bande passante
A fixed noun phrase; "bande" (band) + "passante" (passing) meaning the amount of data that can travel through a connection per second.
Punctuation
The question mark is placed after the whole sentence; no inversion is required in this colloquial structure.
🗨In Conversation
C'est quoi la bande passante ?
What is bandwidth?
C'est la quantité de données qu'un réseau peut transmettre chaque seconde, généralement exprimée en mégabits par seconde.
It's the amount of data a network can transmit each second, usually expressed in megabits per second.
✕Common Mistakes
C'est quoi le bande passante ?
The noun "bande" is feminine, so the correct article is "la".
Quel est la bande passante ?
When using "quel est", the article must agree: "Quel est le débit de la bande passante?" but not "Quel est la bande passante?"
C'est quoi la bande passante
In formal writing, replace the informal "C'est quoi" with "Qu'est‑ce que".
↔Alternatives
Qu'est‑ce que la bande passante ?
What is bandwidth?
Peux‑tu m'expliquer la bande passante ?
Can you explain bandwidth to me?
Comment définir la bande passante ?
How do you define bandwidth?
Cultural Tip
The construction "C'est quoi…" is perfectly natural in everyday conversation, but it is considered too casual for formal writing or presentations. In professional French, especially in technical reports, prefer "Qu'est‑ce que la bande passante ?". Also, "bande passante" is a borrowed term from English; French speakers often use the English abbreviation "bande passante" unchanged.