Interrogative Constructions
Interrogative words: où, quand, comment…
Où (where), quand (when), comment (how), pourquoi (why), combien (how much), combien de (how many) may be used to ask questions with subject/verb inversion or with est-ce que. Note that the question word goes before est-ce que.
| Bette pose des questions à Edouard pour en savoir davantage sur Tex. | Bette asks Edouard questions to find out more about Tex. | |
| Bette: Où Tex est-il né? | Bette: Where was Tex born? | |
| Edouard: Comment? | Edouard: Pardon? | |
| Bette: Où est-ce que Tex est né? | Bette: Where was Tex born? | |
| Edouard: Au Texas. | Edouard: In Texas. | |
| Bette: Quand a-t-il rencontré Tammy? | Bette: When did he meet Tammy? | |
| Edouard: Comment? | Edouard: Pardon? | |
| Bette: Quand est-ce qu’il a rencontré Tammy? | Bette: When did he meet Tammy? | |
| Edouard: Il y a deux ans à Lyon. | Edouard: Two years ago in Lyon. | |
| Comment est-il venu aux Etats-Unis? | Bette: How did he come to the United States? | |
| Edouard: Qu’est-ce que tu as dit? | Edouard: What did you say? | |
| Comment est-ce qu’il est venu aux Etats-Unis? | Bette: How did he come to the United States? | |
| Edouard: Il a été expulsé de France! | Edouard: He was deported from France. | |
| Bette: Pourquoi porte-t-il toujours un béret? | Bette: Why does he always wear a beret? | |
| Edouard: Comment? | Edouard: Pardon? | |
| Bette: Pourquoi est-ce qu’il porte toujours un béret? | Bette: Why does he always wear a beret? | |
| Edouard: Il n’a pas de cheveux. Sans chapeau il risque des coups de soleil. | Edouard: He doesn’t have any hair. Without a hat he risks getting sunburned. | |
| Bette: Combien est-il payé? | Bette: How much is he paid? | |
| Edouard: Comment? | Edouard: Pardon? | |
| Bette: Combien est-ce qu’il est payé? | Bette: How much is he paid? | |
| Edouard: Pas assez. Les tuteurs sont mal payés. | Edouard: Not enough. Tutors are not paid well. | |
| Bette: Combien de cigarettes fume-t-il par jour? | Bette: How many cigarettes does he smoke every day? | |
| Edouard: Comment? | Edouard: Pardon? | |
| Bette: Combien de cigarettes est-ce qu’il fume par jour? | Bette: How many cigarettes does he smoke every day? | |
| Edouard: Je ne sais pas, mais il fume de moins en moins depuis son arrivée au Texas. Dis donc, tu es bien curieuse. | Edouard: I don’t know, but he’s smoking less and less since he came to Texas. Say, you are very curious. |
