Question

French Tutorial: Interrogatives, cont.

Answer 1

\({\bf{Interrogative~Words:}}\)

Who? (2 constructions). These constructions are used when the interrogative is being used as a subject, and is referring to a person.

- Qui est-ce qui + verb
ex: Qui est-ce qui visitent? (Who is visiting?)
- Qui + verb
ex: Qui visite? (Who is visiting?)

What? (1 constructions). This construction is used when the interrogative is being used as a subject, and is referring to an object/other noun.

Qu'est-ce qui + verb
ex: Qu’est-ce que c’est? (What is it?)

Answer 2

cont.

Whom? (2 constructions). These constructions are used when the interrogative is being used as an object, and is referring to a person.

- Qui est-ce qui + subject + verb?
ex: Qui est-ce qui tu rechercher? (Whom are you looking for?)
- Qui + verb-subject?
ex: Qui cherches-tu? (Whom are you looking for?)

What? (3 constructions). These constructions are used when the interrogative is being used as an object, and is referring to an object.

- Qu'est-ce que + subject + verb?
ex: Qu'est-ce que tu chanter? (What are you singing?)
- Que/Qu' (depends on whether next word is vowel/h muet) + verb-subject. Use this construction when the subject is a pronoun.
ex: Que fais-tu? (What are you doing?)
- Que/Qu' + verb + noun? Use this construction when the subject is a noun.
ex: Que enseigne le professeur? (What is the teacher teaching?)

Answer 3

\({\bf{Other~Interrogative~Words:}}\)

Comment? (How?)
- Comment vas-tu? (How are you?)

Combien? + (de/d', if applicable) (How many/much?)
- Combien de personnes viennent? (How many peopple are coming?)

Où? (Where?)
- Où est la fête ?

Quand? (When?)
- Quand commence le cours? (When does class start?)

Quel/Quelle/Quels/Quelles (This is often translated as what, but can be thought of as "which?"). Note that it changes form to match the noun it refers to.
- Quelle est votre couleur préférée? (What is your favorite color?)

Porquoi? (Why?)
- Pourquoi les gens sont si odieux ? (Why are people so obnoxious?)

Answer 4

References:

Rochester, Myrna B. Easy French Step-by-Step, United States, McGraw-Hill Education, 2009, 57-61.

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/interrogative-pronouns/
https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/interrogative-adjectives/

CollinsDictionary for French and English translations

Forvo (https://forvo.com/), a French pronunciation database with samples from native French speakers