Asking Questions in French: 3 Ways, Ranked by Formality
Three ways to ask questions in French - intonation, est-ce que, and inversion - ranked by formality, with est-ce que as the always-safe default.
French has three ways to ask questions: intonation (tu viens ? - just raise your voice, casual), est-ce que (est-ce que tu viens ? - the safe default for any register), and inversion (viens-tu ? - formal/written). For learners, est-ce que is always grammatically correct and works everywhere.
Quick answer
French has three ways to ask questions: intonation (tu viens ?), est-ce que (est-ce que tu viens ?), and inversion (viens-tu ?). For learners, est-ce que is always grammatically correct and works everywhere.
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For the grammar system this belongs to, see French grammar guide.
Method 1: Intonation (casual)
Tu viens ? - just raise your pitch at the end of a normal statement; same word order as English casual speech.
Method 2: Est-ce que (the safe default)
Est-ce que tu viens ? - works in any register, always grammatically correct. Recommend this as your default until the other two feel natural.
Method 3: Inversion (formal/written)
Viens-tu ? - subject and verb swap places. When the verb ends in a vowel and the subject is il/elle/on, a -t- is inserted for pronunciation: a-t-il fini ?
Adding question words
| Method | Example |
|---|---|
| Intonation | où tu vas ? |
| Est-ce que | où est-ce que tu vas ? |
| Inversion | où vas-tu ? |
For quoi, que and comment specifically, see quoi, que and comment.
Which to use when
Est-ce que is your safe harbor as a learner - it never sounds wrong, in any register, with anyone.
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Questions about this note
What's the easiest way to ask a question in French?
Intonation - just raise your pitch at the end of a normal statement.
Is est-ce que always correct?
Yes - it works in any register, making it the safest default for learners.
When do you use inversion for questions?
Formal or written French: viens-tu ?, a-t-il fini ?
Why is there a -t- in a-t-il?
Inserted between two vowels for pronunciation ease when the verb ends in a vowel.
How do you add a question word like "where"?
Où tu vas ? / où est-ce que tu vas ? / où vas-tu ? - same three methods apply.