Chapter 8: Les Questions (The Question Mark Hook)

From the lazy "huh?" to the formal inquiry: How to ask for what you want.

The 3 Ways to Ask

In English, we usually use "Do/Does". In French, you have three options depending on how polite you want to be.

😲

1. Intonation

Informal / Spoken

Just say the sentence... but add a question mark at the end?


"Tu parles français ?"
(You speak French?)
🏗️

2. Est-ce que

Standard / Written

Add the magic phrase "Est-ce que" (Is it that) to the start.


"Est-ce que tu parles français ?"
(Is it that you speak French?)
🧐

3. Inversion

Formal / Professional

Switch the Verb and the Subject. Connect them with a hyphen.


"Parles-tu français ?"
(Speak-you French?)
Inversion Note: If the verb ends in a vowel and the subject starts with a vowel (like Il/Elle), you add a -t- in the middle to make it sound nice.
Ex: Aime-t-il le fromage ? (Does he like cheese?)

The W-Words (Mots Interrogatifs)

Combine these with "Est-ce que" or Inversion to ask for specific information.

Qui ? Who?
Quoi / Que ? What?
Où ? Where?
Quand ? When?
Comment ? How?
Pourquoi ? Why?

Note: To answer Pourquoi (Why), used Parce que (Because).

The Interrogator 3000

See how a simple sentence transforms into the 3 question types.

Original Statement:

Tu aimes la pizza

Intonation
Tu aimes la pizza ?
Est-ce que
Est-ce que tu aimes la pizza ?
Inversion
Aimes-tu la pizza ?

Previous Index Next: Les Articles