Informal:
* "Quoi?" This is the most common and straightforward way to say "what" in French. It can be used in many situations, similar to "what?" in English.
* "C'est quoi?" This is a more informal way of saying "what is this?" or "what's that?"
* "Qu'est-ce que c'est?" This is a slightly more formal version of "what is this?" or "what's that?"
Formal:
* "Qu'est-ce que..." This is a more formal way to express "what" and is often used in questions. For example, "Qu'est-ce que vous voulez?" (What do you want?)
Examples:
* "Quoi? Tu as fait ça?" (What? You did that?)
* "C'est quoi, ce truc?" (What is this thing?)
* "Qu'est-ce que c'est, ce bruit?" (What is that noise?)
* "Qu'est-ce que vous cherchez?" (What are you looking for?)
Remember that the specific choice of expression depends on the specific situation and the level of formality you want to convey.