Learning French: what does que dalle mean and when should it be used?

Je vois que dalle…

We illuminate the mysterious origins behind dalle and suggest alternative ways of saying 'nothing' in French.

What does que dalle mean?

The term que dalle can literally be translated as: only slab. 

More accurate translations, however, include: not a thing, zilch, diddly squat, nowt or nada.

It is used as an informal alternative to the French rien du tout (nothing at all), when describing an absence or total lack of something. 

Note that que dalle cannot replace rien as a response to questions such as: What’s up? What’s wrong? What’s the matter?

Similar French terms include:

• Nada (originally a Spanish word that French people also say)

• Walou

• Que tchi

• R (pronounced [er] short for rien (nothing); used by younger generations)

• Zéro 

• Peanuts (just like in English)

French people sometimes use all of these terms in one go, as a playful, exaggerated way of proving a point or reinforcing the ‘nothingness’ of something: Rien, nada, que tchi, walou, que dalle... The word order can vary but the sentence often starts with: Rien, nada…”

Older generations of French people use the slightly outdated, inappropriate expression: peau de balle et balai de crin (ball skin and horsehair broom).

Read also: Avoir la dalle and other French hunger phrases you may hear

What are the origins of que dalle?

The precise history of this expression is difficult to pin down. Even the Larousse dictionary states that the origins behind it are ‘unknown.’

It is generally accepted that que dalle came from the Romani word dail (nothing at all).

Another suggested origin is a poultry-related one from Marseille Occitan: que d’ala. Some sources translate this as ‘only the wing’ while others refer to ‘only a piece of garlic.’ Either way, the term was used to refer to a lack of food, or to imply there is not much meat on the bone. 

A further theory links dalle to the Breton word: dall (blind). This links to the idea of seeing que dalle meaning: to not see anything, or to see like a blind person.

In modern French, dalle is used to refer to a slab, paving stone or large concrete area, evoking connotations of a desolate, empty space where nothing grows. 

Read also: More French language tips: what does quand même actually mean?

When do you say que dalle?

Que dalle should not be employed with the negative ‘ne.’ Since que dalle means ‘nothing’, adding ‘ne’ would turn the sentence into a double-negative.  

It is most often used with the verbs avoir (to have), valoir (to be worth), trouver (to find) and comprendre/piger (to understand).

Say this to imply a complete lack of something:

• Il y a que dalle dans mon frigo. - There is nowt in my fridge.

• J'ai essayé de vendre mes vieilles chaussures, mais honnêtement, elles valent que dalle. - I tried to sell my old shoes but honestly, they are worth diddly squat.

• Il a trouvé que dalle à la brocante ce week-end. - He found absolutely nada at the jumble sale this weekend.

• On ne parle pas la même langue, donc je vais comprendre que dalle. - We don't speak the same language so I am going to understand zilch.

It can also be used as a stand alone response:

• Statement: Qu'as-tu appris à l'école aujourd'hui ? - What did you learn at school today?

• Response: Que dalle. - Not a darn thing.

Read also: Learning French: what does dommage mean and when should it be used?

To whom do you say que dalle?

It is casual, informal language that can be used with friends and family.

You should avoid saying this in formal contexts, with colleagues or strangers, and should instead consider opting for the more neutral: rien.

If you would like us to explain a particular word or expression, or if you have any other Learning French suggestions, let us know at: feedback@connexionfrance.com