When a firework explodes in the sky, standard descriptions just won't do. French uses specific words at the start of a sentence to express strong reactions like surprise, joy, or admiration.
Exclamations with "comme" and "que"
To say "How [adjective]!" or "How much [action]!", you can begin your sentence with comme or que.
Unlike English, which pulls the adjective or adverb to the front of the exclamation ("How splendid the lights are!"), French keeps the standard sentence word order: you simply place comme or que before the subject and verb.
| How the fireworks display illuminates the night! | Comme le feu d'artifice illumine la nuit ! |
| How splendid the lights are! | Que les lumières sont splendides ! |
You can also use these words to emphasize the intensity of an action, rather than just a static description.
| How loud the noise rings out! | Comme le bruit retentit fort ! |
The everyday alternative: "ce que"
In conversational French, you will often hear ce que used in place of comme or que. The meaning and the word order remain exactly the same, but it adds a natural, everyday flavor to your exclamations.
| How the rocket sparkles in the sky! | Ce que la fusée scintille dans le ciel ! |
| How splendid the night is! | Ce que la nuit est splendide ! |
