Interrogative Constructions
interrogative pronouns: qui, qui est-ce que, qu’est-ce qui, qu’est-ce que
questions about people
Qui is used to ask questions about people. It may be the subject or the direct object in a sentence and thus, can mean either ‘who?’ or ‘whom?’ You may also choose to use the longer forms: qui est-ce qui to ask ‘who?’, qui est-ce que to ask ‘whom?’
As the subject: qui, qui est-ce qui
As the direct object: qui, qui est-ce que
| Bette: Qui est à la porte? Oh, c’est toi, Tammy. | Bette: Who is at the door? Oh, it’s you Tammy. | |
| Qui cherches-tu? | Whom are you looking for? | |
| Tammy: Je cherche Tex. | Tammy: I’m looking for Tex. | |
| Bette: Il n’est pas là. | Bette: He’s not here. | |
| Cinq minutes plus tard … | Five minutes later … | |
| Bette: Encore! Qui est-ce qui est à la porte? Oh! C’est toi, Tex! | Bette: Again! Who is at the door? Oh! It’s you Tex! | |
| Qui est-ce que tu cherches? Moi peut-être? | Whom are you looking for? Me perhaps? | |
| Tex: Non, je cherche Tammy. | Tex: No, I’m looking for Tammy. | |
| Bette: Elle n’est pas là. | Bette: She’s not here. |
As the object of a preposition: qui
| Tex: Ouvre! Ouvre! | Tex: Open! Open! | |
| Bette: Oui?! | Bette: Yes?! | |
| Tex: Tu as vu Tammy? | Tex: Have you seen Tammy? | |
| Bette: Oui. | Bette: Yes. | |
| Tex: Avec qui est-ce qu’elle est partie? | Tex: Whom did she leave with? | |
| Bette: Pour qui me prends-tu? Je ne la surveille pas! | Bette: Who do you think I am (whom do you take me for)? I don’t watch her! | |
| Tex: Oh, la, la, calme-toi, ma petite. | Tex: Oh, la, la, calm down, my little one. |
questions about things
Qu’est-ce qui, que and its longer form qu’est-ce que are used to ask questions about things. They are used to ask ‘what?’. Que and its longer form qu’est-ce que are direct objects in a sentence, whereas qu’est-ce qui may be used only as the subject. (There is no short form of qu’est-ce qui.)
As the subject: qu’est-ce qui
As the direct object: que, qu’est-ce que
As the object of a preposition: quoi
| Tammy arrive chez Bette. Elle voit Tex et Bette ensemble. | Tammy arrives at Bette’s house. She sees Tex and Bette together. | |
| Tammy: Qu’est-ce qui se passe, Tex? | Tammy: What’s going on, Tex? | |
| Tex: Rien, mon chou, je te cherchais. | Tex: Nothing, my dear. I was looking for you. | |
| Tammy: Oui, d’accord, mais qu’est-ce que tu fais avec … elle! | Tammy: Yes, ok, but what are you doing with … her! | |
| Tex: Oh, de quoi tu parles? | Tex: Oh, what are you talking about? | |
| Tammy: Tex, ne fais pas l’innocent avec moi! | Tammy: Don’t act innocent with me! |
