Asking Questions 4: Use Question Words

Another way to ask a question is to use one of these words or phrases:

Qui = who
Qu'est-ce que = what
Où = where
Combien de = how much, how many
Quand = when
Comment = how
Pourquoi = why

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Asking Questions 3: Use Inversion

The third way to ask a question in French is by using inversion, or switching the verb and the subject.

Manges-tu des bonbons? = Are you eating some candies?
Parlez-vous français? = Do you speak French?

When you use inversion with il or elle, you must add “t” between your verb and the subject pronoun if the verb does not already end in “t”.

Ton cousin, est-il beau? = Is your cousin handsome?
Pierre, mange-t-il des bonbons? = Is Peter eating candies?
Marie, regarde-t-elle la télévision? = Is Marie watching television?

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Asking Questions 2: Use est-ce que

Another way to ask a question is by placing est-ce que at the beginning of a declarative sentence.

Tu manges des bonbons. = You are eating some candies.
Est-ce que tu manges des bonbons? = Are you eating some candies?

Elle mange des bonbons = She is eating some candies.
Est-ce qu’elle mange des bonbons? = Is she eating some candies?

Notice that que forms a contraction when it precedes a word starting with a vowel.

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Asking Questions 1: Use Intonation

Over the next few lessons, we will learn several ways to ask a question in French.

The easiest way is by changing the intonation of your voice, raising the pitch near the end. We also do this in English.

I’m eating some candies.
You’re eating some candies?

Je mange des bonbons.
Tu manges des bonbons?

Practice using the intonation of your voice to ask questions.

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