The ultimate guide to asking questions in French

Updated: May 29, 2021 by Mylene in Guides and Tips  ▪  

ask question in french

Asking questions properly is an essential part of any conversation in French. We use questions to connect with a family member, to invite a friend, to ask for directions or for help, to ask for the time, to schedule a meeting, or to learn more about a product or service.

There are a number of ways of forming questions in French. Some questions are formal, while other questions are informal.

In this article, you’ll learn the easiest ways to ask questions in French.

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How to ask yes/no questions in French

The yes/no questions are an informal way to ask questions in French. The answer is usually a yes or a no. French speakers use this way of asking a question in everyday conversations.

Yes/no questions – informal language

#1 Use a rising intonation to ask questions in French

Structure:

  • subject + verb + complement + ?

Asking questions in French is easy. You just have to:

  • take any statement
  • making your voice go up at the end of the sentence

Example: 

Le repas est prêt.

Le repas est prêt ?

#2 Form questions with “est-ce que”

To insist on the fact that you’re asking a question, you may use “est-ce que”.

This type of question can be answered by yes or no.

It’s the inversion of “c’est que” (this is that).

Structure:

  • est-ce que + subject + verb + complement + ?

You just need to put est-ce que at the beginning of the sentence.

Example:

  • est-ce que le repas est prêt? Is the meal ready?

Note:

The sentence cannot be negative.

Yes/no questions – formal language

This is the more formal way of asking questions.

#3 Ask questions in French by changing word order

In ordinary sentences, the verb comes after its subject.

In this type of question, the verb is put before the subject.

In theory, you can use “tu” when you ask a question with inversion, but it doesn’t make much sense. Indeed you don’t use “tu” with formal language.

Structure

The subject pronoun and verb are inverted and joined with a hyphen: .

When the verb ends in a vowel, -t- is inserted before the pronoun to make the words easier to say.

Structure:

  • verb + (-t-) + pronoun + complement + ?

Example:

  • A-t-il fini ? Is he done?

Notes

  • Nouns are not inverted. When a full noun is used as a subject, you must add a subject.
    • example: Pierre a-t-il fini ? Pierre, is he done?
  • In compound tenses only the auxiliary is inverted:
    • example: Pierre avait-il fini ? Was Pierre done?
formal informal yes no french questions

Yes/no question – Negative question

#4 Anticipate a no when asking a question in French

On the other hand, when you expect the answer to be no, you have two options:

  • Formal: use inversion with a negative adverb
    • example: ne viens-tu pas ? Don’t you come?
  • Informal: make a negative statement and raise your pitch at the end
    • example: tu ne viens pas ? You don’t come?

How to ask open questions in French

Open question – informal language

The open question is used to obtain new information. You have to use a question word like who, what, what, where, how, why, how much, etc. The answer, therefore, contains new information that is not in the question.

#5 Adjust your intonation and make an open-ended question

Structure:

  • subject + verb + question word + complement + ?

You need to raise the tone of your voice at the end of a sentence.

Example:

  • Vous partez où en vacances ? Where do you go on vacation?

#6 Use est-ce-que to make an open-ended question

Structure:

  • question word + est-ce que + subject + verb + complement + ?

Example:

  • Où est-ce que vous partez en vacances ? Where do you go on vacation?

Open question – formal language

This type of question is used to get new information about a name. The answer is not in the question.

To form an open or partial question you just need to put the appropriate French question word at the end of the sentence.

#7 Add a question word to make an open-ended question

Structure:

  • question word  + verb + subject + complement + ?

Example:

  • Où partez-vous en vacances ? Where do you go on vacation?

Note:

  • Quoi + est-ce que becomes qu’est-ce que
formal informal open ended questions french

How to use question words to ask questions in French

The main question words used in French

Question words are interrogative pronouns, adverbs or adjectives.

#8 Use interrogative pronouns to ask questions in French

When the subject is a person

Qui est-ce qui or qui + verb (who)

  • Qui veut venir avec moi ? Who want to come with me?
  • Qui est-ce qui veut venir avec moi ? Who want to come with me?

When the subject is a thing

Qu’est-ce qui

  • Qu’est-ce qui te plaît ? What do you like?

When the direct object is a thing

Qu’est-ce que or que + inverted verb (what)

  • Qu’est-ce que tu veux faire ? What do you want to do?

Que: what

  • Que manges-tu ? What do you eat?

Lequel: which one, used for singular masculine nouns

  • Lequel veux- tu manger ? Which one do you want to eat?

Laquelle is used for singular feminine nouns.

Lesquelles is used for plural feminine nouns.

Lesquels is used for plural masculine nouns.

  • Duquel, de laquelle, desquels, desquelles

These pronouns may be combined with prepositions “à” and “de” to further specify the question being asked (see table below).

Example :

Duquel : c’est l’endroit duquel il est parti. That’s where he left.

A laquelle : il a chanté la chanson à laquelle je pensais. He sang the song I was thinking of.

list of french interrogative pronouns

#9 Choose an interrogative adverb to ask a question in French

Combien de + noun: how much

  • Combien de temps avez-vous ? How much time do you have?

Où: where

  • Où veux-tu aller?  Where do you want to go ?

Comment: how

  • Comment vas-tu ? How are you doing ?

Pourquoi: why

  • Pourquoi pars-tu ?  Why do you leave?

Quand: when

  • Quand veux tu manger ? When do you want to eat ?

#10 Go for an interrogative adjective to start a question in French

Quel: which/what + masculine singular noun

  • Quel dessert veux-tu manger ?  Which dessert do you want to eat?

Quels: which/what + masculine plural noun

  • Quels desserts veux-tu manger ?  Which desserts do you want to eat?

Quelle: which/what + feminine singular noun

  • Quelle tarte veux-tu manger ? Which pie do you want to eat?

Quelles: which/what + feminine plural noun

  • Quelles tartes veux-tu manger ?  Which pies do you want to eat?
learn how to ask questions in french

Now you know how to ask questions in French. 

You can find similar articles in our how-to french guides.

I encourage you to consider taking our online French courses and continue to explore the many benefits that Master Your French has to offer. 

Happy learning journey, French learners!

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