La question ne se pose pas


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Rhetorical French Expression

Meaning	It’s not an issue, it never comes up, it doesn’t matter
Literally	The question isn’t asked
Register	normal
Pronunciation		[lah kehs tyo(n) neu seu poz pah]
IPA		[la kɛs tjɔ̃ nə sə poz pa]

Usage notes: The meaning of the French expression la question ne se pose pas is pretty much self-evident – as long as you’re familiar with the passive reflexive. Se poser, literally “to ask oneself,” in this expression means “to be asked.” La question can indicate a question or an issue. So la question ne se pose pas, literally, "the question/issue doesn’t ask itself," has two uses:

1) The issue is not an issue: the question isn’t asked, it doesn’t come up, it’s not an issue, there’s no point in asking (or even wondering).

Par exemple…

Je ne sais pas si Marc veut y aller. Il doit travailler, donc la question ne se pose pas.		I don’t know if Marc wants to go. He has to work, so it’s not an issue / the question never came up.
Dans ce pays, la question ne se pose pas.		In this country, there’s no question (of that happening), it’s impossible.

2) The answer to the question is so obvious that it goes without saying, it doesn’t need to be asked – if it is asked, it’s rhetorical.

Par exemple…

Si j’aime le chocolat ? La question ne se pose pas !		(You want to know) if I like chocolate? No need to ask / of course I do!
Pas besoin de dire, la question ne se pose pas.		That’s self-evident, it’s a rhetorical question.

Variations