Asking things

Asking Questions in French

This lesson focuses on how to ask questions in French using interrogative adverbs and related expressions. You'll learn the most common question words such as Où (Where), Pourquoi (Why), Combien (How much/How many), Comment (How), Quand (When), and Qui (Who). These are essential tools to form questions that help you gather information in everyday conversations.

Key Interrogative Words

• Où – Used to ask about places or locations (e.g., Où habites-tu ? – Where do you live?)
• Pourquoi – To ask about reasons or causes (e.g., Pourquoi apprends-tu le français ? – Why are you learning French?)
• Combien – To inquire about quantities or prices (e.g., Combien ça coûte ce livre ? – How much does this book cost?)
• Comment – To ask about manner or method (e.g., Comment fais-tu une tarte aux pommes ? – How do you make an apple pie?)
• Quand – To ask about time or dates (e.g., Quand viens-tu au café ? – When are you coming to the café?)
• Qui – To ask about people (e.g., Qui invites-tu à la fête ? – Who are you inviting to the party?)

Common Verbs Related to Asking and Answering

The verbs demander (to ask) and répondre (to answer) are central in conversations involving questions. This lesson provides practice on conjugating these verbs in the present tense, helping you to use them correctly in context:

• je demande – I ask
• tu réponds – you answer
• nous venons – we come
• il prend – he takes
• nous voulons – we want

Practical Dialogue Examples

The lesson includes dialogues set in everyday situations such as at the office or café. Here you practice how to ask for addresses, prices, and reasons, which are practical scenarios when learning a new language:

• At the office, you learn to ask and answer where someone’s office or meeting room is located.
• At the café, you practice asking how much drinks or food items cost.
• While traveling, you gain skills to ask why someone visits a place or why they stay for several days.

Useful Expressions and Phrases

• Où est le bureau ? – Where is the office?
• Combien coûte un café ? – How much does a coffee cost?
• Pourquoi apprends-tu le français ? – Why are you learning French?
• Comment puis-je demander l'heure ? – How can I ask the time?

Language Notes for English Speakers

French uses specific interrogative words that often come at the beginning of questions, similar to English. However, some structures differ; for example, French allows inversion for formal questions (Où est-ce que tu habites ?), or simply Où habites-tu ? in informal speech. Unlike English, French questions often place the verb before the subject in formal constructions.

Useful words and their English equivalents:

• Demander – to ask
• Répondre – to answer
• Pourquoi – why
• Combien – how much/how many
• Où – where