14 Question formation

14.1 Introduction
There are two main types of question: yes/no questions, to which it is possible to answ
simply 'yes' or 'no':

Aimez-vous la musique pop? Oui Do you like pop music? Yes

Est-ce que tu as fait tes devoirs? Non Have you done your homezvork? No
and information questions, to which it is impossible to answer simply 'yes' or 'no', but
which require a piece of information in response:

Quand partira Jean? Demain When xoill fean leave? Tomorrow

Qui a-t-il rencontre? Jeanette Who did he meet? Jeanette
Information questions involve the use of a question word or phrase like qui, que, quand.
comment, oil, pourquoi, pour quelle raison, avec quel ami, de quoi, and so on.

14.2 Yes/no questions

There are three ways in which yes/no questions can be asked in French. Each is characteris
of a particular style of French, ranging from the informal to the formal.

14.2.1 Yes/no questions formed with rising intonation

The simplest way to form a yes/no question in French is to add rising intonation to the
syllables of a declarative sentence:

Tu as quelque chose ä dire? Do you have anything to say?

Elle va rester ici? Is she going to stay here?
Pierre est venu? Has Pierre come?
Je peux mettre mes photos au mur? Can I put my photos on the limit?

This kind of yes/no question is very common in informal spoken French, but less comm
in more formal spoken French and not normally used in written French (unless direct sp
is being recorded, or an informal style is being imitated).

14.2.2 Yes/no questions formed with est-ce que

Yes/no questions may also be formed by placing the question formula est-ce que at
beginning of a declarative sentence:

Est-ce que tu as quelque chose ä dire? Do you have anything to say?

Est-ce qu'elle va rester ici? Is she going to stay here?
Est-ce que Pierre est venu? Has Pierre come?
Est-ce que je peux mettre mes photos au Can I put my photos on the wall?
mur?
Yes/no questions formed with est<e que can be used in all styles of French, informal
fo rm a l, s p o k e n a n d written.
 §14.2 Yes/no questions 351

14 2 3 Yes/no questions formed by inverting the verb and subject

or not.
Subject is an unstressed pronoun
If the subject is an unstressed pronoun, it changes places with the verb which agrees with
it:
Es-tu content? Are you happy?
Est-ce le facteur? Is it the postman?
Avez-vous bien compris? Have you really understood?
Peut-on se changer dans les vestiaires? Can you change in the changing rooms?
Avaient-ils re<^i de ses nouvelles? Had they had nexus o f him?
Avait-il pu reunir les actionnaires? Had he been able to assemble the shareholders?
Such subject-verb inversion is possible with all verbs in French, whereas in English it is only
possible with 'auxiliary' verbs like 'have', 'be', 'can', 'will', 'do', etc.:
Aime-t-il le Roquefort? Does he like Roquefort?
Descend-elle en ville? Is she going down into town?
Fumez-vous depuis longtemps? Have you smoked fo r long?
Prennent-ils le train? Are they taking the train?

Subject is not an unstressed pronoun

If the subject is anything other than an unstressed pronoun, i.e. a proper noun, noun phrase
or stressed pronoun, then the subject is placed first, followed by the verb and an unstressed
subject pronoun agreeing with the subject is inserted to the right of the verb:
Pierre est-il content? Is Pierre happy?
Les joueurs peuvent-ils se changer dans Can the players change in the changing rooms?
les vestiaires?
Cela est-il vrai? Is that true?
Personne ne veut-il m'accompagner? Doesn't anyone want to come with me?
Les eleves avaient-ils requ les resultats? Had the pupils received the results?
Julie viendra-t-elle demain? Will Julie come tomorroxv?
NB: It is impossible to invert a subject which is not an unstressed pronoun with an agreeing
verb:

NOT *Viendra Julie demain?

NOT *Est cela vrai?
NOT *Peuvent les joueurs se changer dans les vestiaires?
NOT *Est Pierre content?

Yes/no questions formed with inversion are typically used in more formal spoken and in
written French.
 S14.5 Yps/no questions 351

14.2.3 Yes/no questio ns form ed by inverting th e verb and subject

Yes/no questions may be formed by inverting the subject and the verb which agrees with it.
Such inversion takes two forms, depending on whether the subject is an unstressed pronoun
or not.

Subject is an unstressed pronoun

If the subject is an unstressed pronoun, it changes places with the verb which agrees with
it:

Es-tu content? Are you happy?

Est-ce le facteur? Is it the postman?
Avez-vous bien compris? Have you really understood?
Peut-on se changer dans les vestiaires? Can you change in the changing rooms?
Avaient-ils requ de ses nouvelles? Had they had news o f him?
Avait-il pu reunir les actionnaires? Had he been able to assemble the shareholders?

Such subject-verb inversion is possible with all verbs in French, whereas in English it is only
possible with 'auxiliary' verbs like Tiave', 'be', 'can', 'will', 'do', etc.:

Aime-t-il le Roquefort? Does he like Roquefort?

Descend-elle en ville? Is she going down into toxvn?
Fumez-vous depuis longtemps? Have you smoked fo r long?
Prennent-ils le train? Are they taking the train?

Subject is not an unstressed pronoun

If the subject is anything other than an unstressed pronoun, i.e. a proper noun, noun phrase
or stressed pronoun, then the subject is placed first, followed by the verb and an unstressed
subject pronoun agreeing with the subject is inserted to the right of the verb:

Pierre est-il content? Is Pierre happy?

Les joueurs peuvent-ils se changer dans Can the players change in the changing rooms?
les vestiaires?
Cela est-il vrai? Is that true?
Personne ne veut-il m'accompagner? Doesn't anyone xvant to come xvith me?

Les el^ves avaient-ils regu les resultats? Had the pupils received the results?
Julie viendra-t-elle demain? Will Julie come tomorroxv?
NB: It is impossible to invert a subject which is not an unstressed pronoun with an agreeing
verb:
NOT *Viendra Julie demain?
NOT *Est cela vrai?
NOT *Peuvent les joueurs se changer dans les vestiaires?
NOT *Est Pierre content?

Yes/no questions formed with inversion are typically used in more formal spoken and in
written French.
352 Question formation §14.2

14.2.4 Insertion of -t- between inverted verb and subject

When the inversion of subject and verb results in two vowels becoming adjacent, the
consonant -t- is inserted between them:

A-t-il 17 ans? Is he 17?

Aura-t-elle faim? Will she be hungry?
This rule also applies where the verb ends in -e, even though in the spoken language the -e
is not pronounced:

Epouse-t-il Marie? Is he marrying Marie?

Dine-t-elle au palais ce soir? Is she dining at the palace this evening?

Where a verb already ends in a -f or a -d in the written language, it is pronounced as 't' in

questions:
Est-elle contente? Is she happy?
Boivent-ils du cidre? Are they drinking cider?
Vos amis sont-ils partis? Have your friends left?
David vend-il sa voiture? Is David selling his car?
Le voyage te rend-il malade? Is the journey making you feel ill?

14.2.5 Inversion of the verb and je in yes/no questions

Inversion of the verb with first person je to form a yes/no question is characteristic of only
the most formal French. Many speakers and writers these days would avoid it and use est-ce
que. Furthermore, there are idiosyncratic restrictions on its use.
In the present tense, inversion between je and some very common verbs of one syllable is
frequent:
Ai-je le droit? (avoir) Am I allowed to?
Dois-je vous telephoner? (devoir) Should 1 phone you ?
Puis-je vous deranger? (pouvoir) May I disturb you?
Suis-je heureux? (etre) Am I happy?
Vais-je me laisser tromper? (aller) Am I going to let myself be deceived?
Ne dis-je pas la verite? (dire) Am I not telling the truth?

but with most other verbs such inversion is impossible:

NOT *Mens-je? Am I lying?

NOT *Prends-je le bus? Am I taking the bus?

In future and conditional tenses, however, inversion with these same verbs is more
acceptable (but again only in the most formal styles):
Mentirais-je? Would I lie?
Prendrai-je le bus? Shall I take the bus?

Some grammars suggest that where a verb ends in -e and it is inverted with je, the -e becomes
-e:

Demande-je? Am I asking?
This, however, is extremely rare in modem French.
 §14.2 Yes/no questions 353

14.2.6 n'est-ce pas?

n’est-ce pas? is the invariable French equivalent of English 'tag' question forms like 'doesn't
he?', 'haven't you?', 'mustn't I?', etc.:

II habite ä Paris, n'est-ce pas? He lives in Paris, doesn't he?

Vous avez vendu le terrain, n'est-ce pas? You've sold the land, haven't you?
Je dois m'adresser au sous-directeur, I must speak to the assistant director,
n'est-ce pas? mustn't I?

14.2.7 Use of jamais, rien, aucun, personne in yes/no questions

In questions, jamais, rien, aucun and personne may mean 'ever', 'anything', 'any' and 'anyone':
Est-ce que vous avez jamais visite le Have you ever been to the Louvre?
Louvre?
A-t-il rien fait de meilleur? Has he done anything better?
A-t-elle eu aucune reponse? Has she received any reply?
Est-ce que vous avez vu personne? H aw you seen anyone?
NB: qui que ce soit 'anyone' is used more than personne:
Est-ce qu'il confie ä qui que ce soit ce qu'il fait?
Does he tell anyone what he is doing?

14.2.8 oui, si, non and merci as responses to yes/no questions

non is the normal way of saying 'no' to yes/no questions, both affirmative and negative:
Tu viens? - Non
- N on
Tu ne viens pas?
oui is used to say 'yes' to affirmative yes/no questions, but si is used to say 'yes' to negative
questions:
Tu viens? "
Tu ne viens pas? *
In each case the force of the response may be increased by adding mats, or bien sur que:

Tu viens? - Mais oui - Mais non

- Bien sür que oui - Bien sür que non

Tu ne viens pas? - Mais si Mais non

- Bien sür que si Bien sür que non

merci 'thank you' used alone as a response to a yes/no question is normally treated as a
response of 'No, thank you':
Voulez-vous du fromage? - Merci
Would you like some cheese? - Ho, thank you
To reply 'Yes, please' one can say (Oui), je veux bien, S’il vous (te) plait or Volontiers:

Voulez-vous du fromage? - Je veux bien

- S'il vous plait
- Volontiers
Would you like some cheese? - Yes, please
354 Question formation §14.3

14.3 Information questions

There are four ways of asking information questions in French. Each is appropriate to
particular level of formality of style.

14.3.1 Inform ation q uestio ns form ed w ith rising intonation

The simplest way to form an information question is to replace an item in a declarati
sentence by a question word or phrase, and add rising intonation to the final syllables
the sentence. (For question words and phrases see 14.6.) For example, taking a declarati
sentence such as:
L'etudiant telephonera ä son depute demain
The student will telephone his MP tomorrow
information questions can be formed related to demain, ä son depute or l'etudiant simply by
replacing the relevant words with a question word:
L'etudiant telephonera ä son depute quand?
When will the student telephone his MP?
L'etudiant telephonera *kqui demain?
Who will the student telephone tomorroxo?

Qui telephonera ä son depute demain?

Who will telephone his MP tomorrow?
This kind of information question is very common in informal spoken French. The last
example above involving qui? (where the subject is questioned) is also normal in formal
styles (see 14.3.6). But the other types are less common in formal spoken and in written
styles (unless direct speech is being reported, or an informal style is being imitated).

The full range of question words and phrases (see 14.6) may be used in this way, except que ?
'what'. Instead, the stressed form of que? - quoi? - is used:
Vous avez vu quoi? What did you see?
Elle a dit quoi? What did she say?
M arcel a ecrit ä qui? Who did Marcel write to?
Elle parle de quoi? What is she talking about?
Tu recommanderais quel film? Which film would you recommend?
Ils ont invite combien de gens? How many people did they invite?
Vous l'avez vu ou? Where did you see it?
Bernard reviendra quand? When will Bernard come back?

14.3.2 Information questions formed by 'fronting' a question word or

phrase
Another common way of forming information questions in very informal spoken styles ce
French involves replacing an item in a declarative sentence by a question word or pkrase
and then moving the question word or phrase to the front of the sentence, without makmt
any other changes: -
Qui vous avez vu?
Who did you see?
Qui c'est, celui lä? Who's he?
A qui Marcel a ecrit?
Who did Marcel write to?
 g l 4 .3 LiTorm<»fimi q u e stio n s 355

Quel film tu recommanderais? Which film would you recommend?

Combien de gens ils ont invites? How many people did they invite?
What did you zoant to speak to me about?
De quoi tu voulais me parier?
Oii vous 1'avez vu? Where did you see it?
Pourquoi la police l'a arrets? Why did the police arrest him?

Nearly all question words can be used in this way except direct object que?, quoi? 'what?'
Instead qu est-ce que? is used (see 14.3.3):

Qu'est-ce qu'elle a dit? What did she say?

Qu'est-ce que tu faisais dans ma chambre? What were you doing in my room?

14.3.3 Information questions formed with esf-ce que?

Information questions may be formed by 'fronting' a question word or phrase, as described
in 14.3.2, and in addition inserting est-ce que? between the question word or phrase and
the rest of the sentence. Questions of this type may be used in all styles of French, formal
and informal. The full range of question words and phrases (see 14.6) may be used in this
construction except quoi? 'what?' - the unstressed variant que? is required instead:

Qui est-ce que vous avez vu? Who did you see?
Qu'est-ce qu'elle a dit? What did she say?
Quel film est-ce que tu recommanderais? Which film would you recommend?
A qui est-ce que Marcel a ecrit? To whom did Marcel zvrite?
Combien de gens est-ce qu'ils ont invites? How many people did they invite?
Ou est-ce que vous l'avez vu? Where did you see it?
Quand est-ce que Bernard reviendra? When will Bernard come back?
Pourquoi est-ce que la police l'a arrete? Why did the police arrest him?

14.3.4 qui est-ce qui?, qui est-ce que?, qu'est-ce qui?, and qu'est-ce
que?
qui est-ce qui? is used to form questions dealing with animate subjects:
Qui est-ce qui a pris mon crayon? Who took my pencil?
Qui est-ce qui va avoir le prix? Who will get the prize?
qu'est-ce qui? is used to form questions dealing with non-animate subjects:
Qu'est ce qui a abime mon pneu? What punctured my tyre7
Qu'est-ce qui s'est passe? What happened?
Qu'est-ce qui a effraye le facteur? What frightened the postman?
Qu'est-ce qui lui est arrive, ä Paul? What happened to Paul?
qui est-ce que? is used to form questions dealing with animate direct objects:
Qui est-ce que vous avez vu? Who did you see?
Qui est-ce qu'ils ont invite ä la fete? Who did they inzrite to the party?

qu'est-ce que? is used to form questions dealing with non-animate direct objects:
Qu'est-ce que vous avez dit? What did you say?
Qu'est-ce que Marie va acheter? What is Marie going to buy?
Qu'est-ce qu'elle a pris dans la grange? What did she take from the bam?
Qu'est-ce que e'etait, ce bruit, dehors? What zvas that noise, outside?
 356 Question formation §14.3

14.3.5 Information questions formed by the inversion of verb and

subject
Information questions may be formed by 'fronting' a question word or phrase (as described
in 14.3.2), and in addition inverting the subject and the verb which agrees with the subject.
This kind of question is usually found in formal spoken and in written French. It takes two
forms depending on whether the subject is an unstressed pronoun or not.

Subject is an unstressed pronoun

If the subject is an unstressed pronoun, it changes places with the verb which agrees with
it:
Qui avez-vous vu? Who did you see?
Qui est-ce? Who is it?
A qui a-t-elle äcrit? To lohom did she write?
Quel film recommanderais-tu? Which film would you recommend?
Combien de personnes ont-ils invitees? Hoxv many people have they invited?
Ou Tavez-vous vu? Where did you see it?
Quand reviendra-t-il? When zvill he come back?
Pourquoi l'ont-ils arrete? Why have they arrested him?
(For inversion with je see 14.2.5.)

Subject is not an unstressed pronoun

If the subject is not an unstressed pronoun, i.e. if it is a proper noun, noun phrase or stressed
pronoun, then the subject is placed first after the question word, followed by the verb and an
unstressed subject pronoun agreeing with the subject is inserted to the right of the verb:

Qui Robert a-t-il rencontre? Who did Robert meet ?

A qui Jean donnera-t-il 1'argent? To whom will Jean give the money?
Quelle robe Madame preföre-t-elle? Which dress does madam prefer?
Combien de romans Camus a-t-il ecrits? How many novels did Camus write?
Ou Marie va-t-elle faire ses courses? Where is Marie going to do her shopping?
Quand le train arrivera-t-il ä Limoges? When loill the train arrive at Limoges?
Pourquoi les examens ont-ils toujours lieu en juin?
Why do the exams always take place in June7

(For insertion of -t- see 14.2.4.)

 §14.3 Information questions 357

14.3.6 Exceptional behaviour of subject qui? and subject and object

que? in information questions
When the subject is animate and questioned by qui? 'who', there is no inversion with the
verb:
Qui parle? Who is speaking?
Qui a toume ce film? Who made this film?

NOT *Qui parle-t-il?

NOT *Qui a-t-il toume ce film?
que? 'what' can never be used directly as non-animate subject w h at, and nor can its stressed
form quoi?. Instead, qu'est-ce qui? must be used:

Qu'est-ce qui brille dans le ciel? What's shining in the sky?

Qu'est-ce qui a grignote les gateaux dans What has euten the cakes in the cupboard?
le placard?
Qu'est-ce qui plait ä Pierre? What does Pierre like?
Qu'est-ce qui a ete donne ä Marie? What was given to Marie?

and

NOT *Que brille dans le ciel?

NOT *Qu'a grignote les gateaux?
NOT *Quoi plait ä Pierre?
NOT *Quoi a ete donn£ ä Marie?

When que? 'what' is a direct object, it may be used with verb and subject inversion, providing
that the subject is a pronoun:
Que dit-il? What does he say?
Que pense-t-elle? What does she think?
Qu'ont-ils decide? What have they decided?
But it may not be used with inversion when the subject is a proper noun, noun phrase or
stressed pronoun:

NOT *Que le docteur dit-il? What does the doctor say?

NOT "Que Marie pense-t-elle? What does Marie think?
NOT *Que le conseil municipal a-t-il decide? What has the council decided?
Instead, either qu'est-ce que? must be used:

Qu'est-ce que le docteur dit? What does the doctor say?

Qu'est-ce que Marie pense? What does Marie think?
Qu'est-ce que le conseil municipal a decide? What has the council decided?
Or a different kind of inversion must be used involving the subject and the whole verb
group, but without the insertion of an unstressed pronoun:

Que dit le docteur? What does the doctor say?

Que pense Marie? What does Marie think?
Qu a decide le conseil municipal? What has the council decided?
Que va faire Marie? What is Marie going to do?
Qu'aurait du declarer le m im stie? What should the minister have declared?
This kind of inversion is known by linguists as 'stylistic inversion'.
 358 Question formation §14.3

14.3.7 'Stylistic inversion' in information questions

In formal spoken and in written French, as an alternative to subject-verb inversion of the
kind: Ou Christine est-elle allee? 'Where did Christine go?', it is also possible (with many
question words and phrases) to invert the subject with the whole verb group, but without
insertion of an unstressed pronoun:

Ou est allee Christine?

Notice that Christine and est allee have inverted, but without insertion of an agreeing
unstressed pronorm. Stylistic inversion of this kind is possible with:
Object que?
Qu'avait dit le docteur? What had the doctor said?
Q u a decide le conseil municipal? What has the council decided?

Prepositional object qui (ä qui?, de qui?, av ec qui?, etc.)

A qui s'est adresse Jacques? To luhom did Jacques go and speak?
De qui aura parle le professeur? Who will the professor have spoken about?

Prepositional object qu oi (ä quoi?, de quoi?, av ec quoi?, etc.)

A quoi aurait du penser Marie? What ought Marie to have thought about?
De quoi depend la decision? What does the decision depend on?

Object and prepositional object quel?, quand?, com bien?

quel
Quel plat a commande Pierre? Which dish did Pierre order?
A quelle heure partira Thomas? At what time zoill Thomas leave?
Par quelle porte est sortie l'acteur? Which door did the actor come out of?

quand
Quand est entre Francois? When did Francois come in?
Depuis quand travaille Pierre? Hozo long has Pierre been zoorking?

com bien
Combien de kilos a perdu Philippe? How many kilos has Philippe lost.
Combien de cidre produit ce verger? Hozo much cider does this orchard produce?

Stylistic inversion is not possible with pourquoi:

NOT »Pourquoi travaille Pierre? Why does Pierre zoork?
NOT »Pourquoi est partie Marie? Why did Marie leave?
Stylistic inversion is also quite restricted by the type of verb with which it can be used. It
occurs fairly freely with intransitive verbs which do not have complements:
Depuis quand travaille Pierre? Hozo long has Pierre been zoorking?

And when the questioned phrase is itself a direct object:

Quel vin recommande le patron? Which zoine does the patron recommend?
But it is not acceptable when an intransitive verb has an adverbial complement:

NOT »Depuis quand travaille Pierre dans la cuisine?

Hozo long has Pierre been working in the kitchen?
 §14.4 O rder Ot Object piunoun» ill cjuct>tior\s involving inversion 359

or with transitive verbs when the direct object is present:

NOT "Depuis quand connait Pierre Marie? How long has Pierre known Marie?
NOT *Ou va manger Pierre des escargots? Where is Pierre going to eat snails?
NOT "A qui a donne Paul ce livre? To whom did Paul give this book?

14.4 Order of object pronouns in questions involving inversion

The order of unstressed object pronouns is unaffected by the inversion of the subject and
verb in questions:

Elle en a parle ä Charley En a-t-elle parle ä Charley?

She spoke o f it to Charley Did she speak o f it to Charley?
II le lui avait prete Le lui avait-il prete?
He lent it to her Did he lend it to her?

Jean te Ie dira Jean te le dira-t-il?

Jean will tell you so Will Jean tell you so?

Ils me l'ont donne Pourquoi me l'ont-ils donne?

They gave it to me Why did they give it to me?

14.5 Order of negative particles in questions involving

inversion
The position of negative particles is unaffected by the inversion of the subject and verb in
questions:

Tu n'as jamais fait cela N 'as-tu jamais fait cela?

You have never done that Have you never done that?

Vous n'avez pas vu cet homme Qui n'avez-vous pas vu?

You haven't seen this man Who haven't you seen?

Ils ne leur ecrivent plus Pourquoi ne leur ecrivent-ils plus?

They don’t write to them any more Why don't they write to them any more?

14.6 Use of question words and phrases: qui?, que?, quoi?,

quel?, de qui?, avec combien de? etc.
14.6.1 qui?
qui? typically translates English 'who?', 'whom?' whether subject, direct object or object of a
preposition:
Subject
Qui a pris le tire-bouchon? Who took the corkscrew?
Direct object

Qui Robert invite-t-il ä diner? Who is Robert inviting to dinner?

 360 Question formation §14.6

Object of a preposition

A qui la joumaliste a-t-elle pose la Who did the reporter put the question to?
question?
De qui parlez-vous? Who are you talking about?
Contre qui avait-il joue? Who had he played against?
Sur qui peut-on compter? Who can one count on?

14.6.2 que?, quoi?

que?, quoi? typically translate English 'what?'. Que? is used to question direct objects which
are moved to the front of the sentence:
Que dit-il? What does he say?
Qu'est-il arrive? What's happened?
Que sont-ils devenus? What's become o f them?
Que boiront les invites? What zoill the guests drink?
f
que? cannot be used to question subjects, rather qu'est-ce qui? is used (see 14.3.6):

Qu'est-ce qui lui est arrive? NOT *Que lui est arrive?
What happened to him?
Qu'est-ce qui a tach£ le mur? NOT *Qu'a tache le mur?
What made that stain on the wall?
quoi? is used to question direct objects which are not moved to the front of the sentence. It is
also used to form questions related to the objects of prepositions; in this use it can be moved
to the front of the sentence:
Direct object
Elies cherchent quoi? What are they looking for?
Qa ouvre quoi, 5a? What does that thing open?
Tu seras quoi dans un an? What will you be a year from now?
Object of a preposition
A quoi pensent-elles? What are they thinking about?
Avec quoi a-t-il coupe le pain? What did he cut the bread with?
On peut miser sur quoi? What can one bank on?
Contre quoi est-ce que les gens What are people demonstrating against?
manifestent?

De quoi elle a parle si longtemps?

What did she speak about fo r such a long time?

que? and quoi? can both be used with infinitives to form questions. Que? is used at the front
of main clauses:

Que faire? What is tobe done?

Que faire de ces valises? What shall we do with these suitcases?
Que dire? What can I say?
 §14.6 Use of question words and phrases 361

quoi? is used in subordinate clauses, and in main clauses where the question word is not
fronted:
Elle a demande quoi faire de ses valises
She asked what she should do with her suitcases
Je rentre tout de suite - Faire quoi?
I'm going home immediately - To do zvhat?
NB: Quoi de neuf? "What's new?'

14.6.3 quel?, quelle?, quels?, quelles?

quel?, quelle?, etc are used to form questions based on nouns and noun phrases: quel livre?,
quelle page?, quels manuscriis?, quelles jolies fleurs? Notice that quel? agrees in gender and
number with the noun. Question phrases involving quel? can be subjects, direct objects or
objects of prepositions:

Subject
Quelle ecrivaine n'a pas reve d'etre cel&bre?
What writer hasn't dreamt o f being famous?
Quel bruit a effraye les oiseaux?
What noise frightened the birds?

NB: When a quel phrase is a subject it is not possible to invert subject and verb or use est-ce
que?:
NOT »Quelle ecrivaine n'a-t-elle pas reve d'etre celebre?
NOT »Quelle ecrivaine est-ce qu'elle n'a pas reve d'etre celebre?
Object
Quel film tu recommanderais? Which film would you recommend?
Quel film est-ce que tu recommanderais? Which film zvould you recommend?
Quel film recommanderais-tu? Which film zvould you recommend?
Quelles fleurs Josette a-t-elle cueillies? Which flozvers did Josette pick?
Object of a preposition
A quelle heure part Pierre? What time does Pierre leave?
De quelle ville est-ce que vous parlez? Which tozvn are you talking about?
II etait arrive dans quel train? Which train did he arrive on?
Sous quel arbre vous avez plante les jonquilles?
Which tree did you plant the daffodils under?
Par quelle route les cyclistes sont-ils partis?
By zvhich road did the cyclists leave?

With the verb etre, quel? is separated from the noun phrase with which it agrees:
Quels sont les atouts de votre equipe? What are the strengths o f your team?
Quels sont vos favoris? Which are your favourites?
Quelle est la region que tu preferes? Which is the region you prefer?
NB: Quel est cet homme? 'Who is this man?', Quelle est cette femme? 'Who is this woman?' are
alternatives to Qui est cet homme?. Qui est cette femme?
 362 Question formation §14.6

14.6.4 lequel?, laquelle?, lesquels?, lesquelles?

lequel?, laquelle? . . . etc. ask 'which' noun or noun phrase when there is a choice of more than
one. The form used agrees in gender and number with the noun or noun phrase it questions,
whether this is present in the same sentence, or is understood from the context:

Laquelle de ces couleurs preferez-vous? Which of these colours do you prefer?

Laquelle preferez-vous? Which do you prefer?

Lesquels des eleves avez-vous choisis Which o f the pupils have you chosen for the
pour l'equipe? team?
Lesquels avez-vous choisis? Which have you chosen?
Elle a enfin decide quelle robe elle va She has finally decided which dress
acheter she is going to buy
Laquelle? Which one?
When the phrase involving lequel? is the direct object, and sometimes when it is the subject
of an intransitive verb, it is possible to separate lequel? from the noun phrase it modifies:

Laquelle preferez-vous de ces couleurs? Which o f these colours do you prefer?

Lequel chante le mieux de ces deux Which o f these tzvo soloists sings the best?
solistes?
NB: When a lequel? phrase is the subject of a sentence, it is not possible to use est-ce que? or
to invert subject and verb:
NOT *Lequel des deux solistes est-ce qu'il chante le mieux?
NOT * Lequel des deux solistes chante-t-il le mieux?

14.6.5 combien?
combien? 'how much?', 'how many?' may be used on its own:
Combien est-ce que ga coüte? How much does that cost?
Combien sont dejä arrives? How many haz>e already arrived.

Or it may be used with a following prepositional phrase:

, i, p]ow much bread do we have left?
C o m b i e n de pain nous reste-t- I. spectators zvere there at the
Combien de spectateursassistaient Z lh ?
au match? . .
W f can be used to „uestion s u b *« *, objects and objects o , ptepostttons:

S Combien d'invites son, ddjd atrivds? How many guests haue already arrived?

DCombi’e n d'enfants ont-ils? How many children do they have?

Object of a preposition
Avec combien d'argent est-il parti ä Hozo much money did he go abroad zuith ?
1'etr anger?
 §14.6 USC Of question words and phrases 363

When combien? is used alone and functions as a direct object, the pronoun en is required:

Combien en as-tu vu? How many did you see?

Combien est-ce qu'ils en ont tues? How many did Ihey kill?

NB: When combien? is the subject of the sentence, it is not possible to use est-ce que or invert
the subject and the verb:
NOT »Combien de joueurs est-ce qu'ils ont participe au concours?
NOT »Combien de joueurs ont-ils participe au concours?
Although combien? translates 'how much', 'how many', it cannot be used to translate
English 'how + adjective/adverb' like 'how big?', 'how tall?', 'how often?', etc. (For these
see 14.6.8.)

14.6.6 comment?
comment? usually translates English 'how?' when it is not followed by an adjective or adverb
(i.e. not 'how big?', Tiow often?', etc.):
Comment allez-vous? How are you?
Comment va votre mere? How is your mother?
Comment est-ce qu'elle va? How is she?
Comment s'etaient-ils comportes? How had they behaved?
Comment allez-vous reparer le moteur? How are you going to repair the engine?
Comment cela se prononce-t-il? Hozv is this pronounced?
comment? also translates 'what?' with the verb appeler.

Comment tu t'appelles? What's your name?

Comment appelez-vous ce monument? or What is this monument called?
Comment ce monument s'appelle-t-il?

14.6.7 ou?, quand?, pourquoi?

ou? and quand? translate English 'where?' and 'when?' respectively, and are used in the
same range of information question constructions as the other question words:
Ou vous habitez? Where do you live?
Ou habitez-vous? Where do you live?
Oü est-ce que vous habitez? Where do you live?
Ou Pierre habite-t-il? Where does Pierre live?
Quand vous partez? When are you leaving?
Quand partez-vous? When are you leaving?
Quand est-ce que vous partez? When are you leaving?
Quand Pierre partira-t-il? When will Pierre leave?
When the verb is etre, 'stylistic inversion' of the subject is normal with ou? and quand? (see
14.3.7): ^
Ou est le portefeuille? Where’s the wallet?
Quand est son anniversaire? When's his birthday?
 364 Question formation §14.7

S 2 £ ta v e " y “ 0ther ,WO ‘>ues,i° " WOlds “ P* — *

Pourquoi il a demenage? Why has he moved?
Pourquoi a-t-il demenage? Why has he moved?
Pourquoi est-ce qu'il a demenage? Why has he moved?
Pourquoi Pierre a-t-il demenage? Why has Pierre moved?
but NOT *Pourquoi a demenage Pierre?

14.6.8 Translating 'how big?', 'how fast?', 'how often?', etc.

Whereas English 'how?' can question adjectives and adverbs directly, in French there is no
simple equivalent. For 'How big is the table?' you CANNOT say things like:
*Comment grande est la table?
*Combien grande est la table?

Instead, alternative expressions have to be found:

De quelle taille est la table? Hozo big is the table?
Avec quelle frequence y allez-vous? Hozo often do you go there?
Est-ce souvent que vous y allez? How often do you go there?
Dans quelle mesure en etes-vous certain? Hozo certain are you?
Dans quelle mesure accepteriez-vous de Hozc happy would you be to do that?
faire cela?

14.7 Indirect questions

Indirect questions are questions which are reported as having already been asked. They are
introduced by verbs like comprendre, demander, se demander, dire, expliquer, savoir:

Qui est venu? (direct question)

Elle a demande qui etait venu (indirect question)
She asked who came
Quel piege est-ce qu'on lui tend? (direct question)
II n'arrive pas ä comprendre quel (indirect question)
pi£ge on lui tend
He hasn't grasped what kind of trap they are setting for him

Quand arrivera-t-il? (direct question)

Dites-moi quand il arrivera (indirect question)
Tell me when he will arrive

14.7.1 Word order in indirect questions

There is no subject-verb inversion in indirect questions:

Ou sont-ils?
Je ne sais pas ou ils sont
I don't knozo where they are
NOT *Je ne sais pas ou sont-ils

(
 §14.7 Indirect questions 365

Pourquoi Marie est-elle revenue?

Dites-moi pourquoi Marie est revenue
Tell me why Marie came back
NOT ‘ Dites-moi pourquoi Marie est-elle revenue

14.7.2 si in indirect questions

Direct yes/no questions are introduced by si 'if, whether' when they become indirect
questions:
E st-ce qu e Ju lie viendra demaan?
Je me demande si Ju lie viemira demain
I wonder if Julie will cerae k wKiruu?
A-t-il bien compris?
On ne sait jamais s'il a bien compris
One never knows whether he has understood properly

NB: This use of si should not be confused with si used to introduce hypothetical clauses
like: Si elle m'aimait, elle m'ecrirait 'If she loved me, she would write to me'. In hypothetical si
clauses the verb cannot appear in future or conditional tenses (see Chapter 10.8). In indirect
questions introduced by si it may do so.

14.7.3 ce qui and ce que in indirect questions

qu’est-ce qui? in a direct question becomes ce qui in an indirect question; que? or qu'est-ce que?
becomes ce que in an indirect question:

Qu'est-ce qui a ravage les champs des Dupont?

On ne sait pas ce qui a ravage les champs des Dupont
They don't know what ruined the Duponts' fields
Qu'est-ce qui est arrive?
Elle se demande ce qui est arrive
She wonders what happened
Que dit-il?
Je ne comprends pas ce qu'il dit
I don't understand what he's saying

Qu'est-ce que Pierre fera?

II a explique ce que Pierre ferait
He explained what Pierre would do

All other question words remain the same:

Elle lui demande ä qui il ecrivait She is asking him who he was writing to
Je ne sais plus de quoi elle parlait I no longer know what she was talking about
Je ne sais pas laquelle lui plait le plus I don't know which he likes more
366 Question formation §14.7

14.7.4 Tense in indirect questions

The tense of a verb in a direct question may change if it becomes an indirect question (see
Chapter 10.7). This depends on the tense of the verb which introduces the indirect question
(i.e. the tense of comprendre, demander, dire, etc.). If the introducing verb is in the present,
future or conditional, the tense of the verb in the indirect question remains the same as in
the direct question:

Chante-t-il? Is he singing?
Quand a-t-il chante? When did he sing?
Qui avait chante? Who had sung?
Elle ne sait pas s'il chante/quand il a chante/qui avait chante
She doesn't know if he sings/when he sang/ivho sang

When the introducing verb is in the past, however, the verb in the indirect question becomes
imperfect or pluperfect if in the direct question it is in the present or past:

Elle ne savait pas s'il chantait/quand il avait chante/qui avait chante

She didn't know if he sang/when he had sung/who had sung

and it becomes conditional in the indirect question if it is in the future or conditional in the
direct question:

Chantera-t-il? Will he sing?

Qui chanterait? Who would sing?

Elle ne savait pas s'il chanterait/qui She didn't bw w if he would sing/who would
chanterait sing