Quick answer: French has four ways to ask a yes/no question: raise your voice (Tu parles français ?), add est-ce que, invert the verb and pronoun (Parles-tu français ?), or add n’est-ce pas. To ask for information, put a question word such as où, quand, comment, pourquoi, qui or combien first.
Level: French 1 (high school, ACTFL Novice) · Standards: ACTFL Novice Mid, WL 1.1 Interpersonal, WL 1.2 Interpretive, WL 1.3 Presentational
How do you ask a yes/no question?
French gives you four options, all with the same meaning. Pick the one that fits the situation.
| Style | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Intonation | statement, voice goes up | Tu aimes le jazz ? |
| Est-ce que | est-ce que + statement | Est-ce que tu aimes le jazz ? |
| Inversion | verb – pronoun | Aimes-tu le jazz ? |
| Tag | statement + n’est-ce pas ? | Tu aimes le jazz, n’est-ce pas ? |
Rule: est-ce que and inversion
Est-ce que becomes est-ce qu’ before a vowel: Est-ce qu’il joue au foot ? For inversion, join the verb and the pronoun with a hyphen: Parlez-vous anglais ? When a third-person verb ends in a vowel, add -t-: Chante-t-elle ?, Aime-t-il nager ?
What do the main question words mean?
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| où | where | Où habites-tu ? — Where do you live? |
| quand | when | Quand est-ce que le film commence ? — When does the film start? |
| comment | how | Comment vas-tu ? — How are you? |
| pourquoi | why | Pourquoi étudies-tu l’italien ? — Why do you study Italian? |
| qui | who | Qui chante ? — Who is singing? |
| quoi | what | Tu regardes quoi ? — What are you watching? |
| combien (de) | how much / how many | Combien de frères as-tu ? — How many brothers do you have? |
Put the question word first, then use est-ce que or inversion. In casual talk it can also go last: Tu habites où ? To answer pourquoi, begin with parce que: Parce que j’adore voyager. — Because I love traveling.
Common mistakes
English needs “do” or “does”, but French has no such helper: Tu parles français ?, never Fais-tu parler français ?. Do not combine two styles: Est-ce que parles-tu ? is wrong. Write combien de with de: Combien d’élèves ?, not Combien élèves ?
Zoé’s tip
When you are not sure, use est-ce que. It works with every verb and every question word, and it never breaks a rule. Save inversion for polite situations such as Parlez-vous anglais ?
Culture note
In France, strangers usually address each other with vous. A polite visitor in a shop therefore asks Parlez-vous anglais ? and not Tu parles anglais ?, and starts the conversation with Bonjour.
Key points to remember
- Intonation, est-ce que, inversion and n’est-ce pas all make yes/no questions.
- Est-ce que becomes est-ce qu’ before a vowel.
- Inversion uses a hyphen, and a -t- after a vowel-ending verb: Chante-t-elle ?
- Où, quand, comment, pourquoi, qui, quoi, combien (de) ask for information.
- Answer pourquoi with parce que.
How to Ask Questions in French: frequently asked questions
What is the easiest way to ask a question in French?
Say a normal sentence and raise your voice at the end: Tu aimes le jazz ? This is natural among friends. Est-ce que is a safe alternative.
When do I use est-ce qu’ instead of est-ce que?
Use est-ce qu’ before a vowel sound: Est-ce qu’elle chante ? Before a consonant, use est-ce que.
Why is there a -t- in Chante-t-elle?
When a third-person verb ends in a vowel, the -t- separates it from il, elle or on. It is only a link and has no meaning.
How do I answer a question with pourquoi?
Begin the answer with parce que: Pourquoi étudies-tu l’italien ? — Parce que j’adore l’Italie.
What does n’est-ce pas mean?
It means “right?” or “isn’t it?”. Place it at the end of a statement to ask for confirmation: Tu habites à Nantes, n’est-ce pas ?