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Learn how to form French questions using "Est-ce que" for yes/no inquiries and "Quel" with its gender and number forms for asking specific information. This lesson explains question structures, subject-verb inversion, and pronunciation rules to help you communicate clearly in French.
  1. "Quel" is used for an open question (free answer) and "est-ce que" for a closed question (yes or no).
  2. "Est-ce que" is used to introduce a question.
  3. "Quel" agrees with the noun: "quel", "quelle", "quels", "quelles".
  4. When forming a question, the subject and the verb are inverted.
Forme (Form)Exemple (Example)
Est-ce que + sujet + verbeEst-ce que tu as un cadeau? (Do you have a present?)
Quel (masculin singulier) + nomQuel âge as-tu? (How old are you?)
Quelle (féminin singulier) + nomQuelle année? (Which year?)
Quels (masculin pluriel) + nomQuels cadeaux préfères-tu? (Which presents do you prefer?)
Quelles (féminin pluriel) + nomQuelles fêtes célébrez-vous? (Which holidays do you celebrate?)
Verbe + sujetÊtes-vous contents (Are you happy)? 

Exceptions!

  1. "Quel" is not limited to questions, whereas the expression "est-ce que" is used only in questions.
  2. In the inversion of the subject and the verb, when the verb begins with a vowel or a silent h, a "t" is added to facilitate pronunciation: Quel âge as-t-il?

Exercise 1: Les mots interrogatifs: "Est-ce que" et "Quel"

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Quel, Est-ce que, Quelle, Quelles, Quels

1.
... est ton nom ?
(What is your name?)
2.
... tu es espagnol ?
(Are you Spanish?)
3.
... âge as-tu ?
(How old are you?)
4.
... cadeaux as-tu eu ?
(What presents did you get?)
5.
... grand-mère prépare le gâteau d'anniversaire ?
(Which grandmother is preparing the birthday cake?)
6.
... cousines sont à ton anniversaire ?
(Which cousins are at your birthday party?)
7.
... année es-tu né ?
(What year were you born?)
8.
... tu vis en Espagne ?
(Do you live in Spain?)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. ________ tu as un gâteau pour l'anniversaire ?

(________ do you have a cake for the birthday?)

2. ________ âge as-tu aujourd’hui ?

(________ age are you today?)

3. ________ tu prépares une fête pour ton anniversaire ?

(________ are you preparing a party for your birthday?)

4. ________ année est-ce que tu fêtes aujourd’hui ?

(________ year are you celebrating today?)

5. ________ cadeaux préfères-tu recevoir pour ton anniversaire ?

(________ gifts do you prefer to receive for your birthday?)

6. ________ fêtes célèbres-tu avec tes amis ?

(________ parties do you celebrate with your friends?)

Interrogative Words: "Est-ce que" and "Quel"

This lesson introduces two essential tools in French for asking questions: "Est-ce que" and "Quel". Understanding how to use these will help you form clear and correct questions in everyday conversations.

Using "Est-ce que"

"Est-ce que" is a simple phrase used to introduce yes/no questions in French. It does not change based on the subject or verb. For example: Est-ce que tu as un cadeau? means "Do you have a gift?" This structure is useful for asking closed questions that require a simple yes or no answer.

The Forms of "Quel"

The word "Quel" means "which" or "what" and agrees in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun it modifies:

  • Quel for masculine singular nouns (e.g. Quel âge as-tu?)
  • Quelle for feminine singular nouns (e.g. Quelle année?)
  • Quels for masculine plural nouns (e.g. Quels cadeaux préfères-tu?)
  • Quelles for feminine plural nouns (e.g. Quelles fêtes célébrez-vous?)

"Quel" is mainly used to ask open-ended questions where the answer is more detailed or specific than a simple yes/no. Notice that when forming a question by inverting the verb and subject, if the verb starts with a vowel or mute h, a "-t-" is inserted for easier pronunciation (e.g., Quel âge as-t-il?).

Subject-Verb Inversion

In addition to "Est-ce que", another way to form formal questions is by inverting the subject and verb directly, for instance: Êtes-vous contents? meaning "Are you happy?".

Summary

  • Use "Est-ce que" for closed yes/no questions.
  • Use "Quel" and its forms to ask about specific information linked to nouns.
  • Remember to match the form of "Quel" with the gender and number of the noun.
  • Use subject-verb inversion for a more formal style of questioning.

Comparison with English

Unlike English, which often raises intonation or uses auxiliary verbs to form questions, French uses explicit question markers. "Est-ce que" has no direct equivalent in English but can be understood as "Is it that..." to introduce a question. The word "Quel" translates to "Which" or "What" and must agree with the noun's gender and number, a feature absent in English. While English can often invert the auxiliary verb with the subject (e.g., "Are you...?"), French requires careful attention to inversion rules, including adding a linking "-t-" if the verb begins with a vowel sound.

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Alessia Calcagni

Languages for communication in international enterprises and organizations

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

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Last Updated:

Monday, 07/07/2025 16:05