When you start learning French, one of the first challenges is figuring out how to turn a statement into a question.
In English, we usually change word order (Do you play the piano?) or use rising intonation (You play the piano?). In French, there are several ways to form questions, depending on the context and the level of formality.
Let’s look at the most common strategies. For the full explanation with tables and examples, check the Sillabi grammar sheet:
👉 La forme interrogative – Level A1
1. Intonation
The simplest way, especially in spoken French, is to keep the word order of a normal sentence and simply raise your voice at the end.
– Tu viens avec moi au cinéma ?
No change in structure, just intonation.
2. Est-ce que
A very common way to ask questions in everyday French is by adding est-ce que.
– Est-ce que tu joues du piano ?
This form is very handy for beginners because it doesn’t require word inversion and allows you to easily turn a sentence into a question.
3. Inversion
In more formal or written French, you’ll often find inversion of subject and verb.
– Où habitez-vous ?
This structure sounds elegant and polite, even if it’s less common in everyday conversation.
4. Question words
Like in English, French uses question words such as où, quand, pourquoi, comment, combien…
– Quand est-ce que tu pars ?
– Où est-ce que tu habites ?
– Pourquoi est-ce que tu n’es pas venu hier ?
– Comment allez-vous ?
⚠️ Note: “Pourquoi” is used in questions, but in the answer you’ll need “parce que”.
5. Watch out for tricky pairs
Some structures look similar but mean different things:
Est-ce que… introduces a yes/no question.
Qu’est-ce que… asks “what”.
– Est-ce que tu prends la voiture ? → Are you taking the car?
– Qu’est-ce que tu veux ? → What do you want?
To sum up
In French, there are three main ways to ask a question:
- intonation (informal, spoken)
- est-ce que (neutral, very common)
- inversion (formal, written or polite)
Knowing these different options will help you both understand and be understood in different situations.
Want to learn more? The complete grammar sheet explains:
- yes/no questions vs. open questions
- interrogative adjectives, pronouns and adverbs
- clear examples and helpful advice to avoid typical mistakes
Click here to view the full grammar sheet.
And if you’d like to practice this and many other essentials of French, check out the course Et voilà! – Level A1: a clear and engaging way to learn French step by step.