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If you're learning French, you've probably wondered how to ask a question. In what order should you put the words? Which interrogative words to use? What does "est-ce que" mean? Here's how!
Contents :
Interrogative words
3 ways to ask a question
The informal question
The standard question (with "est-ce que")
The informal question
Summary
Exercise
Correction
Interrogative words
Interrogative words are used to introduce an interrogative sentence and give it meaning. Here are some essential interrogative words for asking questions in French:
Qui - who (and all its derivatives: avec qui, à qui, chez qui...)
Que / quoi - what (I'll explain the difference in the "informal question" section)
Où - where
Pourquoi - why
Quand - when
Comment - how
Combien - how much/many
Examples:
🇫🇷 Qui est là ? Que fais-tu ? Tu vas où ? Pourquoi tu apprends le français ? Quand est-ce qu'il arrive ? Comment ça va ? Combien de personnes habitent en France ?
🇺🇸Who's there? What are you doing here? Where are you going? Why are you learning French? When is he coming? How are you doing? How many people live in France?
3 ways to ask questions in French
There are 3 ways to ask questions in French:
informal question, mostly used in oral situations. It's a declarative sentence format, with a question mark at the end and a rising intonation (e.g.: Tu veux un café ? - Would you like a coffee?).
standard question, neither formal nor informal, suitable for all situations. It is constructed with the expression "est-ce que" (Ex: Est-ce que tu veux un café? - Do you want a coffee?).
formal question, mainly used in writing or in a very formal context: inversion of subject and verb (Ex: Voulez-vous un café ? - Do you want a coffee?)
So it can be useful to know the 3 types of questions so you can adapt your language to each situation.
💡 In French, there are 3 registers of language (colloquial, standard and sustained). You need to know and differentiate between them to be able to speak the right level of French in all situations.
Informal question
The informal question is mainly used orally, in all everyday situations. It's not rude, which means you can even ask an informal question of someone you don't know and whom you're not speaking to. The informal question is the easiest form of asking a question, because all you have to do is add a question mark to a declarative sentence.
Example: Je peux vous aider ? - May I help you?
In the case of an informal question, interrogative words are placed after the verb, with the exception of "pourquoi" (why).
Examples: Tu vas où ? Tu parles à qui ? Tu pars quand ? - Where are you going? Who are you talking to? When are you leaving?
But: Pourquoi tu pleures ? - Why are you crying?
💡 "Que" becomes "quoi" in an informal question: Tu fais quoi ce weekend ? Tu veux manger quoi ce soir ? - What are you doing this weekend? What do you want to eat tonight?
Standard question (with "est-ce que")
The standard question can be used in any situation, written or oral. It's the way of asking a question that you need to memorize first, as it's adaptable to any context.
To form a standard question, simply add "est-ce que" before the subject and the verb.
Example: Est-ce que je peux vous aider ? - May I help you?
If you add an interrogative word, it's placed at the beginning of the sentence, before "est-ce que".
Examples: Où est-ce que tu vas ? À qui est-ce que tu parles ? Quand est-ce que tu pars ? - Where are you going? Who are you talking to? When are you leaving?
🗣️ "Est-ce que" is pronounced /eske/.
💡 "Que" becomes "qu'" when followed by a vowel: Qu'est--ce que tu fais ce weekend ? Qu'est-ce que tu veux manger ce soir ? - What are you doing this weekend? What do you want to eat tonight?
Formal question
This type of question isn't used much because it's so formal. However, you may need it if you're writing formal letters.
To construct a formal question, you need to invert the subject and verb of the question (i.e. the subject comes after the verb).
Example : Pouvez-vous m'aider ? - Can you help me?
⚠️ The verb "pouvoir" conjugated in the first person singular (je) has a special form for the formal question. ❌ Don't say: Peux-je vous aider ?
✅ Say: Puis-je vous aider ? ("Peux" becomes "puis").
The interrogative word is also placed at the beginning of a sentence in the case of a formal question.
Examples : Où vas-tu ? À qui parlez-vous ? Quand partez-vous ? - Where are you going? Who are you talking to? When are you leaving?
Summary
Exercise
Find the questions that correspond to the following answers and to the type of question indicated (informal, standard or informal).
Example : Elle habite à Bruxelles. (question standard)
Où est-ce qu'elle habite ?
1. Nous partons deux semaines. (question informelle)
2. Veuillez m'excuser pour le retard, j'ai eu un accident sur la route. (question formelle)
3. Elle a commencé le tennis à l'âge de 5 ans. (question standard)
4. C'est Marie, ma cousine. (question informelle)
5. Non, je n'aime pas le football. (question standard)
6. Je parle 3 langues : français, anglais et portugais. (question formelle)
Correction
1. Nous partons deux semaines. (question informelle)
Vous partez quand ?
2. Veuillez m'excuser pour le retard, j'ai eu un accident sur la route. (question formelle)
Pourquoi êtes-vous en retard ?
3. Elle a commencé le tennis à l'âge de 5 ans. (question standard)
Quand est-ce qu'elle a commencé le tennis ?
4. C'est Marie, ma cousine. (question informelle)
C'est qui ?
5. Non, je n'aime pas le football. (question standard)
Est-ce que tu aimes le football ?
6. Je parle 3 langues : français, anglais et portugais. (question formelle)
Combien de langues parlez-vous ?
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