Lesson 8 – Questions (Introduction)
What will you learn?
In this lesson, you will learn how to:
- Ask simple questions in French
- Use intonation and est-ce que
- Use basic question words
- Answer questions correctly
- Build simple conversations
1. What is a Question?
A question is used to ask for information.
Example:
- Tu parles français. (statement)
- Tu parles français ? (question)
2. Asking questions with Intonation
Rule:
Use the same sentence, but raise your voice at the end.
Structure:
Statement + ?
Examples:
- Tu parles français ?
- Tu habites à Delhi ?
Use:
- Informal
- Very common in speaking
3. Asking questions with “Est-ce que”
Structure:
Est-ce que + subject + verb
Examples:
- Est-ce que tu parles français ?
- Est-ce que tu habites à Delhi ?
Use:
- Easy and safe
- Used in all situations
4. Question words (Basic)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Qui | Who |
| Que / Qu’ | What |
| Où | Where |
| Quand | When |
| Pourquoi | Why |
| Comment | How |
5. Using question words
Structure:
Question word + est-ce que + sentence
Examples:
- Où est-ce que tu habites ?
- Pourquoi est-ce que tu étudies ?
- Comment est-ce que tu t’appelles ?
6. Special structure: “Qu’est-ce que”
Used for “What”
Example:
- Qu’est-ce que tu fais ?
7. Answering questions
A. Short answers
- Oui
- Non
B. Full answers
- Oui, je parle français
- Non, je ne parle pas français
8. Common mistakes
1. Wrong word order
Incorrect: Tu est-ce que parles ?
Correct: Est-ce que tu parles ?
2. Missing question mark
Incorrect: Tu parles français
Correct: Tu parles français ?
3. Wrong question word
Incorrect: Qui tu habites ?
Correct: Où tu habites ?
9. Exercises
Exercise 1 – Turn into questions (intonation)
- Tu parles français → ______
- Tu habites à Delhi → ______
Exercise 2 – Use “est-ce que”
- Tu manges → ______
- Il joue → ______
Exercise 3 – Choose correct word
- ______ tu habites ? (où / qui)
- ______ tu manges ? (que / quand)
- ______ tu es fatigué ? (pourquoi / comment)
Exercise 4 – Write
Write 3 questions:
- One with intonation
- One with est-ce que
- One with a question word
10. Speaking task
Ask a partner:
- Name
- Age
- What they like
11. Writing task
Write 4–5 questions:
- About daily life
- About school
Lesson summary
You can now:
- Ask simple questions
- Use est-ce que
- Use basic question words
- Answer clearly
Use simple questions first:
Tu parles français ?
Then try:
Est-ce que tu parles français ?