A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "How do you spell it" in French
Ask how to spell something in French with this common and polite phrase.
Comment ça s'écrit ?
koh-MAHN sah seh-KREEneutral
French TTS · 0:01
Use this when you see a word written down and you're not sure how to spell it yourself. It's perfect for asking a shopkeeper to repeat a name or address, or for clarifying a word in a book.
Alternatives
- Comment on écrit ça ?Slightly more informal, but still widely understood.
- Comment écrivez-vous ça ?More formal, using 'vous' and a more direct verb form.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'écrit'
The 'é' is like the 'ay' in 'say', and the final 't' is silent.
Forgetting 'ça'
You need 'ça' (it) to specify what you're asking about spelling.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How to spell 'comment ça s'écrit'?
It's spelled c-o-m-m-e-n-t space ç-a space s-'-é-c-r-i-t. The 'ç' is a 'c' with a cedilla.
What does 'comment ça s'écrit' mean?
It directly translates to 'how does it write itself?', meaning 'how do you spell it?'
When should I use 'vous' instead of 'ça'?
If you're speaking to someone older or in a formal setting, you might use 'Comment écrivez-vous ça ?' to be more polite.
