qu'

See also: qu, qu-, Qu., qú, qù, qū, and qǔ

French

Etymology

From que.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k‿/

• Audio

  (file)

Conjunction

qu’ (apocopate)

1. (before vowel sound) Apocopic form of que (that, which)
2. (informal, before consonants) Apocopic form of que (that, which)
   • 2002, Jean-François Pauzé, Marie-Annick Lépine (lyrics and music), “Toune d'automne”, in Break Syndical:

     Anyway chuis content que tu r’viennes / t’arrives en même temps qu’l’automne / Tsé qu’ça m’a fait ben d’la peine / de t’voir partir ma mignonne

     Anyway, I'm glad you're back / you've come at the same time as autumn / Ya know [that] it hurt lots / to see you go, my darling

Usage notes

• This form is used instead of que when the following word begins with a vowel sound.
• While qu’on is quite common, que l’on is often preferred in polite or formal writing.

Pronoun

qu’ (apocopate)

1. (before vowel sound) Apocopic form of que (what, that, whom; only)

Usage notes

• This form is used instead of que when the following word begins with a vowel sound.

Further reading

• “qu'”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Middle French

Conjunction

qu' (apocopate)

1. (before vowel sound) Apocopic form of que

Usage notes

• The apostrophe may be omitted in older manuscripts

  quil ― that he