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Question words: qui, quoi, où, quand, comment, pourquoi

Qui (who), quoi / que (what), où (where), quand (when), comment (how), pourquoi (why), combien (how much).

Spoken French often keeps statement order and adds the question word at the end: Tu vas où ?

More formal: question word + est-ce que + statement: Où est-ce que tu habites ?

Put a space before ? and ! in French typography.

Pattern: question word + est-ce que + subject + verb

Practice this lesson

Updated October 21, 2026

Examples

• Où est la gare ?
  Where is the station?
• Pourquoi tu ris ?
  Why are you laughing?

In real sentences

• À qui ?
  To whom?
  Tatoeba: LdjuherTaqvaylit
• Qui est-ce ?
  Who is he?
  Tatoeba: sysko
• Qui est-il ?
  Who is he?
  Tatoeba: dominiko
• Qui est pour ?
  Who's in favor?
  Tatoeba: Adelpa
• À qui est-ce ?
  Whose is this?
  Tatoeba: TRANG
• À qui est-ce ?
  Whose is it?
  Tatoeba: Corvus

Before this lesson

This unlocks after: A1 Core words 2.

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