Interrogation For Intermediate learners
Questions in French (L'interrogation)
In French, asking questions can be done in several ways depending on formality, style, and context. There are three main methods: intonation, using "est-ce que", and inversion. Each has its rules and nuances.
Questions by Intonation
This is the simplest way to ask a question in spoken French. You take a declarative sentence and raise your voice at the end to indicate a question. This is informal and mostly used in spoken French.
Structure:
Subject + Verb + Object + rising intonation
Tu viens ce soir ?
Are you coming tonight?
Il fait froid aujourd'hui ?
Is it cold today?
Marie aime le chocolat ?
Does Marie like chocolate?
Vous parlez anglais ?
Do you speak English?
Questions Using est-ce que
"Est-ce que" is a neutral way to turn a statement into a question. It can be used in both spoken and written French.
Structure:
Est-ce que + Subject + Verb + Object
Est-ce que tu viens ce soir ?
Are you coming tonight?
Est-ce que Marie aime le chocolat ?
Does Marie like chocolate?
Est-ce que vous parlez anglais ?
Do you speak English?
Est-ce que les enfants ont fini leurs devoirs ?
Have the children finished their homework?
Tip!
"Est-ce que" can be contracted before a vowel. For example:
Est-ce qu'il fait froid aujourd'hui ?
Is it cold today?
Inversion Questions
Inversion is a more formal or literary way to ask a question. The verb and subject pronoun are inverted, connected with a hyphen.
Structure:
Verb + - + Subject Pronoun (+ Object)
Viens-tu ce soir ?
Are you coming tonight?
Parlez-vous anglais ?
Do you speak English?
Fait-il froid aujourd'hui ?
Is it cold today?
Ont-ils fini leurs devoirs ?
Have they finished their homework?
Tip!
If the verb ends with a vowel and the subject pronoun starts with a vowel (like il, elle, on), a "t" is inserted for euphony. For example:
Aime-t-elle le chocolat ?
Does she like chocolate?
Other Question Words (Interrogative Words)
Sometimes, you need to ask more detailed questions using interrogative words. Common ones include:
French | English |
|---|---|
qui | who |
que / quoi | what |
où | where |
quand | when |
pourquoi | why |
comment | how |
combien | how many / how much |
Qui vient ce soir ?
Who is coming tonight?
Que fais-tu ?
What are you doing?
Où habites-tu ?
Where do you live?
Quand partons-nous ?
When are we leaving?
Pourquoi ris-tu ?
Why are you laughing?
Comment ça va ?
How's it going?
Combien coûte ce livre ?
How much does this book cost?
Tip!
Interrogative words can be combined with est-ce que or with inversion:
Où est-ce que tu habites ?
Where do you live?
Où habites-tu ?
Where do you live?
Tag Questions
Less common in French than in English, tag questions confirm information or ask for agreement.
Structure:
Statement + n'est-ce pas ?
Tu viens ce soir, n'est-ce pas ?
You're coming tonight, aren't you?
Il fait froid aujourd'hui, n'est-ce pas ?
It's cold today, isn't it?
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