Interrogative sentences and word order
An interrogative sentence serves to ask a question. We use interrogative sentences for different purposes: to obtain information, and to elicit confirmation or denial about something or someone.
To communicate effectively, you often must be able to ask precise questions in order to get the information you seek; furthermore you must understand a variety of questions in order to give others the information they seek from you. Consider the following sentence and the many questions that can be asked about it. Note the word order and the different question words used.
Interrogative sentences and intonation
In French the intonation or rising pitch at the end of a sentence signals for the listener that a question is being asked. This manner of asking a question is familiar and preferred in oral interactions. To transcribe this oral question into writing, a question mark helps identify an interrogative sentence. Sometimes a yes or no answer may suffice as is shown in the following examples:
Other times a question solicits specific information as in the following examples:
Affirmative interrogative sentences
There are several ways to communicate a question. One way to create an interrogative sentence is to use an affirmative sentence and end it with a rising inflection. The intonation alone communicates a question in spoken language; a question mark follows the interrogative sentence in written texts.
declarative sentence + ? → interrogative sentence
Note how the message of a straightforward declarative sentence changes when it becomes a question:
Rewrite each statement, changing it to a question by using the appropriate punctuation.
1. Mon copain est en retard. _______________________________________________________________________
2. Tu as ma liste. _______________________________________________________________________
3. Le passager est patient. _______________________________________________________________________
4. Nous attendons. _______________________________________________________________________
5. Il y a un taxi au coin. _______________________________________________________________________
6. Il fait chaud ici. _______________________________________________________________________
Using appropriate punctuation and capitalization, compose questions with the following sentence fragments, making sure to follow the word order of a declarative sentence.
1. les instructions / tu as compris
2. à ton avis / étaient claires / elles
3. à faire ce travail / on va / arriver
4. que ce ne sera pas trop difficile / certain / tu es
5. ce soir / commencer / tu veux
6. d’échouer / tu ne crains pas
Negative interrogative sentences
Another way of forming a question is to start with a negative declarative sentence. Add a question mark to a negative declarative sentence and as a result you have an interrogative sentence.
This type of construction (ne…pas) is used when the questioner expects an affirmative answer or an affirmation. Consider the following sentences and note that a yes answer starts with oui when the interrogative sentence is affirmative; it starts with si when the interrogative sentence is negative.
Adverbs such as encore or toujours can be added to pas to build interrogative sentences.
And as always, by adding a question mark, the declarative sentence then becomes an interrogative sentence.
As discussed in Unit 1, other negative expressions can be used instead of ne…pas to build interrogative sentences. They are: ne…plus (no longer), ne…rien (nothing/not anything), ne…jamais (never), ne…personne (nobody/not anybody).
Answer each question with oui, si, pas encore, or pas ici as you see fit on the lines provided.
1. Tu travailles? ______________________________
2. Tu ne gagnes pas trop d’argent? ______________________________
3. Tu n’as pas suivi de cours de français? ______________________________
4. Tu vas être promu? ______________________________
5. Tu es fiancé? ______________________________
6. Tu ne vas pas te marier? ______________________________
Use one of the following negative expressions to complete each question.
pas / plus / personne / rien / jamais
1. Où est ton livre? Tu ne sais ______________________________?
2. Tu as toujours tes affaires? Tu ne les oublies ______________________________?
3. Tu voudrais rester ici? Tu ne peux _______________________ étudier? Tu es trop fatigué?
4. Tu sors avec des amis ce soir? Tu ne veux voir _______________________ ce soir? Tu restes à la maison?
5. Tu veux prendre un petit café avant de rentrer? Non, tu ne veux ______________________________?
Interrogative sentences with est-ce que
There are several ways to communicate a simple question in French. We have previously seen that one way to create an interrogative sentence is to use an affirmative sentence and end it with a rising inflection. Another way to create an interrogative sentence in French is to place the phrase est-ce que before the declarative sentence.
Compare the following French and English interrogative sentences and note that the structure in the French sentence is always the same. The structure in the English sentence varies depending on the tense used and depending on whether the verb to be or to have is a part of the structure.
Translate each question into French using est-ce que.
1. Does the sun shine today?
2. Are we going to the beach?
3. Do you (tu) want to have breakfast on the terrace?
4. Will we go swim in the sea after breakfast?
5. Are you (tu) still a little sleepy?
6. Do you (tu) need a good shower?
Interrogative sentences with inversion
Another way to create interrogative sentences is to use the inversion method. The inverted interrogative structure is somewhat formal but is sometimes used in informal situations, for example, when asking for the time: Quelle heure est-il? To create such an interrogative structure, we will once again start with the declarative sentence. It will be important, however, to distinguish between a subject pronoun and a subject noun in the sentence when using this method.
When the subject is a pronoun
If the subject of the verb in the declarative sentence is a personal pronoun, it suffices to invert the subject and the verb while separating the two with a hyphen. The result is an interrogative sentence.
You can always invert the subject pronoun and the verb except when the subject pronoun is je. The subject pronoun je and the verb are only inverted in very rare cases such as in Puis-je? (May I?) This phrase is commonly used, especially in the service business. Puis is a modified form of the verb pouvoir (to be able). In other cases, the inversion with the pronoun je can also be used but only to make an emphatic statement. Look at the following examples:
When the subject is a noun
If the subject of the verb in the declarative sentence is a noun, the subject + verb structure of the declarative sentence will remain the same, but the appropriate subject pronoun that can replace the subject noun is added after the verb and is linked to the verb with a hyphen.
Compare the following declarative and interrogative sentences. Note that the pronoun to be added must have the same gender and number as the noun it completes; therefore it is either il, ils, elle, or elles. Also note that whenever a verb ends in a vowel, the letter -t- is inserted between the verb and the pronoun; the inserted -t- is wrapped between two hyphens.
Change the following declarative sentences into questions by using inversion.
1. Marie écoute bien les conseils de sa maman. ____________________________________
2. Elle est attentive. _________________________________________________________
3. Les frères jumeaux travaillent ensemble. ________________________________________
4. Ils sont inséparables. ______________________________________________________
5. Tu ne vois pas le bus. _____________________________________________________
6. Il faut se dépêcher. _______________________________________________________
Polite phrases in interrogative sentences
To demonstrate courtesy in asking a question, use a phrase such as Pardon or Pardonnez-moi (Pardon, Pardon me), Excusez-moi (Excuse me), Excusez-moi de vous déranger (Forgive me for interrupting), or S’il vous plaît (Please)before the question. Also be sure to use the appropriate title: monsieur (sir), madame (madam), or mademoiselle (miss). Consider the following examples and note the punctuation:
Play the role of a saleslady and write the following questions in French, in a very polite and formal manner.
1. Do you like this dress, miss?
2. Can I recommend a pair of shoes, miss?
3. Do you need a scarf, miss?
4. Are you ready to pay, miss?
5. Do you have a credit card, miss?
6. Would you like a bag, miss?
Go back to the previous exercise and for each of those questions add one of the following polite phrases: s’il vous plaît, excusez-moi, pardonnez-moi, pardon, or excusez-moi de vous déranger.
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________________________
With the sentence fragments provided write a question using the inversion method and the present tense of the indicative mood.
1. préférer (tu) / un citron pressé / un coca / une bière
2. arriver (vous) cet après-midi / demain
3. désirer (ils) / aller à la plage / nager dans la piscine
4. acheter (nous) le parasol / la chaise-longue / une serviette
5. vouloir (elles) voir un film / dîner au restaurant
6. dormir (vous) dans le lit / sur le canapé
Tag questions
Another way of forming a question both in English and French is to add a “tag” at the end of a declarative sentence.
declarative sentence, + tag + ? → tag question
The tag phrase n’est-ce pas is used in all registers of the French language (familiar and formal), but it is more frequently used in formal situations.
However, some other tags are only used in informal spoken communication. In any case, a questioner who poses a tag question expects agreement, not a no answer. In French, some common and familiar tags added to declarative sentences to create questions are: non? (no?), pas vrai? (not true? / right?), and tu ne crois pas? / tu ne penses pas? (don’t you think?)
Write the letter of the correct answer to each question on the lines provided.
Translate the following questions into French using tag phrases. Use tu for you.
1. You like this book, right?
2. You know who wrote it, don’t you?
3. This author is good, don’t you think?
4. He is a master of suspense, no?
5. You have read his previous book, right?