Learn French: Je ne sais pas ce qui se passe sur cette case. - I do not know what is happening on this square.

Je ne sais pas ce qui se passe sur cette case.

I do not know what is happening on this square.

Breakdown of Je ne sais pas ce qui se passe sur cette case.

sur

not (used before the verb)

pas

not (used after the verb)

Questions & Answers about Je ne sais pas ce qui se passe sur cette case.

Why do we use ce qui here instead of lequel?

You use lequel to clarify a relative clause when referring back to a specific noun (an antecedent). In this sentence, there is no specific noun being referenced. We mean "what" in the sense of "the unknown thing that." For an undefined "what," you must use the indefinite pronoun ce paired with a relative pronoun like qui or que.

Why is it ce qui and not ce que?

We use ce qui because "what" is the subject of the verb se passe (it is the thing doing the happening). You use ce que when "what" is the direct object of the relative clause. For example, if you wanted to say "what you are doing," you would use ce que because "you" is the subject (ce que tu fais).

Why is the verb se passe reflexive here?

The verb passer has many meanings, such as to pass by or to spend time. However, to say that an event "happens" or "takes place," you must use the reflexive form se passer.

What kind of "square" is a case?

A case refers to a space on a board game, a box on a form, or a cell in a grid. It is not used for a town square (which is une place) or a geometric square shape (which is un carré).