Common mistakes
Ce à quoi or ce que? French corrections with penser à and tenir à
See why ce à quoi keeps the à in penser à, répondre à and tenir à. Compare what you think with what you think about, then test the distinction.
- B2
- 4 corrections
- Examples and fixes
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In short
Ce à quoi means “what” when the French expression needs à: penser à quelque chose → ce à quoi je pense. Compare Je sais ce que tu penses (“I know what you think”) with Je sais ce à quoi tu penses (“I know what you are thinking about”). Both sentences are correct; their meanings differ.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
- ce à quoi je pensece que je pense àwhat I am thinking about
Voilà ce à quoi je pense depuis hier.That is what I have been thinking about since yesterday.
Move à with quoi. The expression starts from je pense à cela.
- ce à quoi je tiensce que je tienswhat I care about
Ce à quoi je tiens, c’est à la transmission de ma langue.What I care about is passing on my language.
Tenir à expresses attachment. Tenir quelque chose means holding something.
- ce à quoi je répondsce auquel je répondswhat I am responding to
Voici ce à quoi je dois répondre avant vendredi.Here is what I need to respond to before Friday.
After neutral ce, use à quoi. With a named noun, use la question à laquelle je réponds.
- ce à quoi nous pensonsce à quoi nous y pensonswhat we are thinking about
Ce à quoi nous pensons concerne toute la famille.What we are thinking about concerns the whole family.
à quoi already carries the topic complement. Remove the extra y referring to that same topic.
When do you use ce à quoi instead of ce que?
- Nora
Tu as l’air préoccupé. À quoi tu penses ?
You look worried. What are you thinking about?
- Léo
À la conversation avec ma grand-mère.
About the conversation with my grandmother.
- Nora
Je comprends ce à quoi tu penses. Mais qu’est-ce que tu en penses ?
I understand what you are thinking about. But what do you think of it?
- Léo
Je pense que nous devrions lui parler plus souvent.
I think we should speak to her more often.
The topic is the conversation; the opinion is that the family should speak to her more often. Ce à quoi keeps the topic after penser à. Ce que tu penses can introduce the content of the thought or opinion.