The three ways, step by step
The question words
A question word asks for information rather than yes or no. It usually goes at the start, followed by est-ce que or by inversion. In casual speech it can also go at the end: Tu habites où ?
| Word | Means | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| quikee | who | Qui est-ce ?kee ESS · Who is it? | |
| oùoo | where | Où sont les toilettes ?oo soh(n) lay twah-LET · Where are the toilets? | |
| quandkah(n) | when | Quand est-ce que le train part ?kah(n)-tess-kuh luh tra(n) PAR · When does the train leave? | |
| commentkoh-MAH(N) | how | Comment allez-vous ?koh-mah(n)-tah-lay-VOO · How are you? | |
| pourquoipoor-KWAH | why | Pourquoi tu ris ?poor-kwah tü REE · Why are you laughing? | |
| combienkoh(n)-BYA(N) | how much, how many | C’est combien ?seh koh(n)-BYA(N) · How much is it? | |
| quelkel | which, what | Quelle heure est-il ?keh-lur eh-TEEL · What time is it? | |
| quekuh | what | Que faites-vous ?kuh fet-VOO · What are you doing? |
Three words for “what”
English “what” splits into three French forms depending on where it sits in the sentence.
Quel: “which” or “what” in front of a noun
Quel sits in front of a noun, or before être, and matches the noun’s gender and number like an adjective (see agreement). All four forms sound exactly the same, “kel”, so you only need to choose in writing.
At the station information desk
A traveller asks a member of staff for help. Notice the polite vous and a mix of question types. Every word has its English meaning underneath.
The answer to a negative question uses si rather than oui, explained in French negation.
Je me demande où il est
When a question sits inside another sentence (“I wonder where he is”), French drops the inversion and est-ce que. Qu’est-ce que becomes ce que, and a yes/no question uses si (“whether”).
- Où est-il ?Je me demandeI wonderoùwhereil est.he iszhuh muh duh-MOND oo ee LAY · “I wonder where he is.”
- Qu’est-ce que tu veux ?Dis-moitell-mece quewhattu veux.you wantdee-MWA suh kuh tü VUH · “Tell me what you want.”
- Est-ce qu’il vient ?Je ne sais pasI don’t knows’ilwhether-hevient.comeszhuh nuh say PA seel VYAN · “I don’t know if he’s coming.”
- Quand part le train ?Savez-vousdo-you-knowquandwhenle train part ?the train leavessa-vay-VOO kon luh TRAN PAR · “Do you know when the train leaves?”
…, n’est-ce pas ? …, non ? …, hein ?
English has dozens of tags (isn’t it, don’t you, haven’t they). French has a few that never change. Read from formal to familiar.