Asking Questions in French: A1 flashcards

Question 1

Rule: What are the three ways to ask a yes / no question?

Accepted Answer

Intonation (everyday speech): Vous êtes prêt ? / est-ce que (neutral): Est-ce que vous êtes prêt ? / Inversion (formal): Êtes-vous prêt ? (All three mean: Are you ready?)

Question 2

Ask using « est-ce que »: Vous avez une chambre.

Accepted Answer

Est-ce que vous avez une chambre ? / (You have a room. → Do you have a room?)

Question 3

Ask using intonation: Elles sont en retard.

Accepted Answer

Elles sont en retard ? / (They're late. → Are they late?)

Question 4

Ask using intonation: Tu viens demain.

Accepted Answer

Tu viens demain ? / (You're coming tomorrow. → Are you coming tomorrow?)

Question 5

Ask using « est-ce que »: Tu parles anglais.

Accepted Answer

Est-ce que tu parles anglais ? / (You speak English. → Do you speak English?)

Question 6

Rule: What does « est-ce que » become before a vowel or a silent h?

Accepted Answer

est-ce qu' / Est-ce qu'il pleut ? Est-ce qu'Hélène travaille ? (Is it raining? Is Hélène working?)

Question 7

Ask using « est-ce que »: Il neige.

Accepted Answer

Est-ce qu'il neige ? / (It's snowing. → Is it snowing?)

Question 8

Ask using « est-ce que »: Elle travaille demain.

Accepted Answer

Est-ce qu'elle travaille demain ? / (She works tomorrow. → Is she working tomorrow?)

Question 9

Rule: How is inversion used at A1?

Accepted Answer

Learn it in a few common formal questions. The verb and subject pronoun are joined by a hyphen. / Comment allez-vous ? Pouvez-vous répéter ? (How are you? Can you repeat that?)

Question 10

Ask using inversion: Vous parlez français.

Accepted Answer

Parlez-vous français ? / (You speak French. → Do you speak French?)

Question 11

Ask using inversion: Vous avez une réservation.

Accepted Answer

Avez-vous une réservation ? / (You have a booking. → Do you have a booking?)

Question 12

Rule: Where can question words go in a simple question?

Accepted Answer

Words such as « où », « quand », « comment » and « pourquoi » can go at the start before « est-ce que ».
Où est-ce que tu habites ? (Where do you live?)
In everyday speech, « où », « quand », « comment » and « quoi » often go at the end.
Tu habites où ? (Where do you live?)

Question 13

Rewrite with « est-ce que »: Tu travailles où ?

Accepted Answer

Où est-ce que tu travailles ? / (Where do you work?)

Question 14

Rewrite with « est-ce que »: Le film commence à quelle heure ?

Accepted Answer

À quelle heure est-ce que le film commence ? / (What time does the film start?)

Question 15

Rewrite in everyday speech: Où est-ce que tu vas ?

Accepted Answer

Tu vas où ? / (Where are you going?)

Question 16

Rewrite in everyday speech: Quand est-ce que vous partez ?

Accepted Answer

Vous partez quand ? / (When are you leaving?)

Question 17

Rewrite with « est-ce que »: Pourquoi tu étudies le français ?

Accepted Answer

Pourquoi est-ce que tu étudies le français ? / (Why are you studying French?)

Question 18

Rule: How do you ask “what?” as the object of a verb, as in “What are you eating?”

Accepted Answer

Qu'est-ce que + subject + verb: Qu'est-ce que tu manges ? / In everyday speech: subject + verb + quoi: Tu manges quoi ?

Question 19

Rewrite with « qu'est-ce que »: Tu bois quoi ?

Accepted Answer

Qu'est-ce que tu bois ? / (What are you drinking?)

Question 20

Rewrite in everyday speech: Qu'est-ce que vous cherchez ?

Accepted Answer

Vous cherchez quoi ? / (What are you looking for?)

Question 21

Rewrite with « qu'est-ce que »: Elle regarde quoi ?

Accepted Answer

Qu'est-ce qu'elle regarde ? / (What is she watching?)

Question 22

Rule: How does « quel » (which / what) agree?

Accepted Answer

Like an adjective, with its noun: / quel livre, quelle heure, quels films, quelles chaussures (which book, what time, which films, which shoes)

Question 23

Complete with quel, quelle, quels or quelles: ___ est ton adresse ?

Accepted Answer

Quelle est ton adresse ? / (What is your address?)

Question 24

Complete with quel, quelle, quels or quelles: Tu aimes ___ films ?

Accepted Answer

Tu aimes quels films ? / (Which films do you like?)

Question 25

Complete with quel, quelle, quels or quelles: Tu prends ___ train ?

Accepted Answer

Tu prends quel train ? / (Which train are you taking?)

Question 26

Complete with quel, quelle, quels or quelles: ___ langues est-ce que vous parlez ?

Accepted Answer

Quelles langues est-ce que vous parlez ? / (Which languages do you speak?)

Question 27

Rule: How do you ask “who?”

Accepted Answer

qui / Qui est là ? (Who is there?)

Question 28

Ask about the person: Paul parle.

Accepted Answer

Qui parle ? / (Paul is speaking. → Who is speaking?)

Question 29

Ask about the person in everyday speech: Tu attends Marie.

Accepted Answer

Tu attends qui ? / (You're waiting for Marie. → Who are you waiting for?)

Question 30

Rule: How do you ask “how many?” or “how much?” before a noun?

Accepted Answer

combien de (d' before a vowel) + noun / Vous avez combien d'enfants ? (How many children do you have?)

Question 31

Ask how many in everyday speech: Tu as deux sœurs.

Accepted Answer

Tu as combien de sœurs ? / (You have two sisters. → How many sisters do you have?)

Question 32

Ask how many in everyday speech: Il y a trente élèves.

Accepted Answer

Il y a combien d'élèves ? / (There are thirty pupils. → How many pupils are there?)

Asking Questions in French A1

The rules

What are the three ways to ask a yes / no question?

What does « est-ce que » become before a vowel or a silent h?

How is inversion used at A1?

Where can question words go in a simple question?

How do you ask “what?” as the object of a verb, as in “What are you eating?”

How does « quel » (which / what) agree?

How do you ask “who?”

How do you ask “how many?” or “how much?” before a noun?

Common mistakes

24 exercises

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