French Question Words: How to Ask Questions in French

Word order with French question words

In French, the word order changes depending on the type of question:

1. Informal statement + intonation: Tu viens ? (You’re coming?) 
2. Est-ce que + standard statement: Est-ce que tu viens ? (Are you coming?) 
3. Inversion: (more formal) Viens-tu ? (Are you coming?) – more formal 

Some question words, like quoi, où, quand, comment, can be placed at the beginning of the sentence or after prepositions.

Formal vs informal question structures

• Informal: Tu pars demain ? (Are you leaving tomorrow?) 
• Formal / Written: Quand est-ce que tu pars ? (When are you leaving?) 

Asking questions in everyday conversations

In daily conversation, French speakers often simplify questions:

• Tu veux venir ? → informal spoken question 
• Où est la boulangerie ? → standard question using où 
• Pourquoi pas ? → casual “Why not?” 

Using French question words naturally

Practice using question words in context:

• Ask directions → Où est la gare ? 
• Ask about people → Qui vient avec nous ? 
• Ask about time → Quand commence le cours ? 
• Ask reasons → Pourquoi tu étudies le français ? 

1. When – Quand

In French, the word “quand” is equivalent to the English word “when.” You use quand to ask about time, dates, or moments in the following situations:

Asking about time:

• Quand est-ce que tu arrives ? (When are you arriving?) 
• Quand part le train ? (When does the train leave?) 

Asking about dates:

• Quand est ton anniversaire ? (When is your birthday?) 
• Quand est la réunion ? (When is the meeting?) 

Inquiring about moments or events:

• Quand commence le film ? (When does the movie start?) 
• Quand finit le cours ? (When does the class end?) 

In these situations, “quand” is used to inquire about a specific time or date, making it equivalent to the English word “when.”

2. Who – Qui

In French, the word “qui” is equivalent to the English word “who.” You use qui to ask about people or identify someone in the following situations:

Asking about a person:

• Qui est-ce ? (Who is it?) 
• Qui vient avec nous ? (Who is coming with us?) 

As the subject of a verb:

• Qui parle ? (Who is speaking?) 
• Qui arrive demain ? (Who is arriving tomorrow?) 

As the object of a verb (using “est-ce que”):

• Qui est-ce que tu invites ? (Who are you inviting?) 
• Qui est-ce que tu connais ici ? (Who do you know here?) 

In these situations, “qui” identifies a person or people, equivalent to “who” in English.

3. What – Que / Quoi

In French, the words “que” or “quoi” are equivalent to the English word “what.” You use que / quoi to ask about things, objects, or actions in the following situations:

Formal questions with “que / qu’”:

• Qu’est-ce que tu fais ? (What are you doing?) 
• Que veux-tu manger ? (What do you want to eat?) 

Informal or after prepositions with “quoi”:

• Tu parles de quoi ? (What are you talking about?) 
• De quoi as-tu besoin ? (What do you need?) 

In expressions or standalone questions:

• Quoi de neuf ? (What’s new?) 
• À quoi penses‑tu ? (What are you thinking about?) 

In these situations, “que / quoi” is used to ask about objects, actions, or ideas, equivalent to “what” in English.

4. Where – Où

In French, the word “où” is equivalent to the English word “where.” You use où to ask about or express a specific location or place in the following situations:

Asking about a specific location or place:

• Où habites-tu ? (Where do you live?) 
• Où est la gare ? (Where is the train station?) 

Asking about the location of objects or people:

• Où sont mes clés ? (Where are my keys?) 
• Où est ma mère ? (Where is my mother?) 

Asking about the location of an event or action:

• Où a lieu la fête ? (Where is the party taking place?) 
• Où travailles-tu ? (Where do you work?) 

Expressing a location or place in statements:

• Le musée est là où nous avons commencé notre voyage. (The museum is where we started our journey.) 
• C’est l’endroit où j’ai perdu mon téléphone. (It’s the place where I lost my phone.) 

In these situations, “où” is used to inquire about or specify a particular location or place, making it equivalent to the English word “where.”

5. Why – Pourquoi

In French, the word “pourquoi” is equivalent to the English word “why.” You use pourquoi to ask for reasons, causes, or explanations in the following situations:

Asking about reasons:

• Pourquoi étudies-tu le français ? (Why are you studying French?) 
• Pourquoi es-tu en retard ? (Why are you late?) 

Asking for explanations in conversation:

• Pourquoi dis‑tu ça ? (Why do you say that?) 
• Pourquoi est-ce que tu ris ? (Why are you laughing?) 

In writing or formal questions:

• Pouvez-vous expliquer pourquoi cela est important ? (Can you explain why this is important?) 

In these situations, “pourquoi” requests a reason or explanation, equivalent to “why” in English.

6. How – Comment

In French, the word “comment” is equivalent to the English word “how.” You use comment to ask about manner, method, or condition in the following situations:

Asking how to do something:

• Comment fais-tu ça ? (How do you do that?) 
• Comment puis-je arriver à la gare ? (How can I get to the train station?) 

Asking about condition or state:

• Comment ça va ? (How are you?) 
• Comment te sens‑tu ? (How do you feel?) 

In combination with other expressions:

• Comment est‑ce que ça marche ? (How does this work?) 
• Comment peux‑tu savoir ? (How can you know?) 

In these situations, “comment” asks about manner, method, or condition, equivalent to “how” in English.

7. How Much / How Many – Combien

In French, the word “combien” is equivalent to the English words “how much” or “how many.” You use combien to ask about quantities or prices in the following situations:

Asking about prices:

• Combien ça coûte ? (How much does it cost?) 
• Combien dois-je payer ? (How much do I have to pay?) 

Asking about quantities or amounts:

• Combien de livres as-tu ? (How many books do you have?) 
• Combien de personnes viennent ? (How many people are coming?) 

Inquiring about frequency or measurement:

• Combien de temps faut-il ? (How long does it take?) 
• Combien de kilomètres reste-t-il ? (How many kilometers are left?) 

In these situations, “combien” is used to ask about amounts, quantities, or prices, equivalent to “how much” / “how many” in English.