quoi qu'il en soit
Be That as It May with Quoi Qu'il En Soit
Quoi qu'il en soit is a discourse marker meaning "be that as it may," "regardless," or "in any case." It is used to set aside previous arguments or uncertainties to focus on what is most important.
How It Works
The phrase quoi qu'il en soit is an adverbial phrase (locution adverbiale) that literally translates to "whatever the situation may be regarding [it]." It is composed of:
- Quoi que: A pronominal locution (the pronoun quoi + que) meaning "whatever."
- Il: An impersonal subject.
- En: A pronoun en that functions as a fossilized complement of the verb, referring back to the topic or situation just discussed.
- Soit: The present subjunctive of the verb être.
Usage and Register:
This expression is common in standard and formal French. Pragmatically, it acts as a closure marker, effectively closing a debate or moving past a point of contention to focus on the main conclusion. In very formal contexts, you may encounter the synonym en tout état de cause, while in everyday spoken French, you will more commonly hear equivalents like de toute façon, de toute manière, or en tout cas. While it usually stands alone, it can be extended to specify a topic using the form quoi qu'il en soit de... (e.g., Quoi qu'il en soit de ses intentions...).
In highly formal or historical narratives, you may encounter the variant quoi qu'il en fût, which utilizes the imperfect subjunctive to maintain tense consistency in a literary past-tense context.
Syntactic Position:
It usually appears at the beginning of a sentence, followed by a comma, to transition from the previous thought. It can also be placed in the middle of a sentence as a parenthetical remark.
Examples (4)
- Les experts ne sont pas d'accord sur les causes. Quoi qu'il en soit, nous devons agir.
The experts do not agree on the causes. Be that as it may, we must act.
Word by Word: The experts not are not of agreement on the causes. Whatever that it of it be, we must act.
Here, the speaker acknowledges the disagreement but dismisses it as less important than the need for action.
- Il se peut qu'il ait oublié. Quoi qu'il en soit, je ne peux plus l'attendre.
He might have forgotten. Regardless, I can't wait for him any longer.
Word by Word: It itself may that he has forgotten. Whatever that it of it be, I not can more him to wait.
The speaker sets aside the reason for the person's absence to focus on the immediate decision to leave.
- La situation est complexe, mais quoi qu'il en soit, le projet sera terminé à l'heure.
The situation is complex, but in any case, the project will be finished on time.
Word by Word: The situation is complex, but whatever that it of it be, the project will be finished at the hour.
The phrase is used here as a parenthetical insertion to emphasize the certainty of the deadline despite the complexity.
- Quoi qu'il en soit, merci de votre aide.
In any case, thank you for your help.
Word by Word: Whatever that it of it be, thank you of your help.
This is a common way to conclude a conversation or email, refocusing on gratitude regardless of the outcome of the discussion.
Common Mistakes
Spelling 'quoi que' as one word ('quoique').
Quoiqu'il en soit, c'est fini.Quoi qu'il en soit, c'est fini.While quoique (one word) means 'although', the two-word 'quoi que' is required when the meaning is 'whatever'.
Using the indicative 'est' instead of the subjunctive 'soit'.
Quoi qu'il en est, nous devons partir.Quoi qu'il en soit, nous devons partir.This is a fixed expression that strictly requires the subjunctive mood.
Confusing 'soit' (verb) with 'soi' (pronoun).
Quoi qu'il en soi, je suis d'accord.Quoi qu'il en soit, je suis d'accord.Learners often confuse the verb form 'soit' with the disjunctive pronoun soi (oneself).
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'quoi qu'il en soit', a learner needs to recognize its components: the indefinite pronoun 'quoi', the relative 'que', the impersonal subject 'il', the adverbial pronoun 'en', and the irregular subjunctive form of 'être' (soit). Together, these form a fixed concessive expression meaning 'whatever the case may be'.
- être (subjonctif)Irregular Subjunctive of Etre
The word 'soit' is the third-person singular present subjunctive of the verb 'être', which is the core of this fixed expression.
Level 3 - que / quoiWhat with Que and Quoi
Understanding the pronoun 'quoi' (what) is necessary to parse the initial component of the phrase.
Level 1 - en (partitif)Partitive Pronoun En
The pronoun 'en' is used here in its adverbial/neutral sense to refer back to the situation or topic being discussed.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- quoi que / quoiqueWhatever Versus Although
Explains the orthographic and functional difference between the two forms, which is essential for understanding the pronominal locution 'quoi que'.
Level 6 - néanmoinsNevertheless with Neanmoins
A formal synonym for 'nevertheless' that functions similarly in structured arguments.
Level 4 - Literary imperfect subjunctive
Used in the literary variant 'quoi qu'il en fût' to maintain tense consistency in past-tense narratives.
Level 5 - Formal versus casual register contrast
Contrasts this formal expression with more casual alternatives like 'en tout cas' or 'de toute façon'.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
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