What happened vs What was that vs What was what

Quand utiliser chacun en anglais, avec le sens, le registre et des exemples.

What happened

Top 2000 (courant)

What was that

Top 2000 (courant)

What was what

Au-delà de 10 000 (moins courant)
 What happenedWhat was thatWhat was what
Prononciation🇬🇧 //wɒt ˈhæp.ənd//🇺🇸 //wɑt ˈhæpənd//🇬🇧 //wɒt wəz ðæt//🇺🇸 //wɑt wəz ðæt//🇬🇧 //wɒt wəz wɒt//🇺🇸 //wɑt wəz wɑt//
SensDemander à quelqu'un des informations sur un événement ou une situation.Ask someone about an event or situation.A question asking for clarification about something that happened.Une expression utilisée pour clarifier ou interroger quelque chose mentionné auparavant.A phrase used to clarify or question something previously mentioned.
ExempleCan you tell me what happened during the meeting?Did you hear that? What was that?I didn't understand the project details. What was what?
RegistreNeutreNeutreNeutre
FréquenceTop 2000 (courant)Top 2000 (courant)Au-delà de 10 000 (moins courant)
Collocationswhat happened next, what happened then, can you tell me what happenedwhat was that noise, what was that sound, what was that aboutexplain what was what, understand what was what, clarify what was what
AntonymesWhat will happen, What is going to happen, What occurs nextI understand, That is clear-
Erreurs fréquentesConfused with 'what's happening?' which refers to current events., Using it to ask about an ongoing situation instead of a past event., Inappropriately using 'happened' in place of 'has happened' in some contexts.Confused with 'what is that?' which asks about something present., Used in formal situations where clarity is important., Overused in conversations, when direct questions could suffice.Using it in overly formal contexts, Confusing it with 'what is what', Not using it to emphasize confusion or clarity
Notes d'usageUtilisez cette expression dans les conversations pour vous renseigner sur des événements passés. Convient aussi bien dans des contextes formels qu'informels.Use in conversations to inquire about past events. Suitable in both formal and informal settings.Use when you need to clarify something you didn't hear or understand. Avoid in formal presentations.Utilisez cette expression lorsque vous cherchez des éclaircissements ou répétez un point précédent. C'est généralement informel et peut être utilisé dans des discussions ou des conversations.Use this phrase when seeking clarification or repeating a previous point. It is commonly informal and can be used in discussions or conversations.

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What happened
What was that
What was what

Questions fréquentes : What happened vs What was that vs What was what

Quelle est la différence entre What happened, What was that et What was what ?

What happened: Ask someone about an event or situation. What was that: A question asking for clarification about something that happened. What was what: A phrase used to clarify or question something previously mentioned.

Peux-tu montrer un exemple de chacun ?

What happened: Can you tell me what happened during the meeting? What was that: Did you hear that? What was that? What was what: I didn't understand the project details. What was what?

Puis-je utiliser What happened, What was that et What was what de façon interchangeable ?

Pas toujours. What happened, What was that et What was what sont proches et se recoupent parfois, mais elles diffèrent par le registre, la fréquence et l'usage, donc remplacer l'une par l'autre peut changer le sens ou le ton. Regarde les différences ci-dessus avant de substituer.

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