questions

Question 1

Where are they?

Answer 1

Où sont-ils?

Question 2

What is it about?

Answer 2

De quoi s’agit-il?

*You can ONLY say IL S’AGIT DE (it is about)

Question 3

It was about …

Answer 3

Il s’agissait de/dese/du …

Question 4

It is about … / It is … /It’s a question of …

Answer 4

Il s’agit de/des/du …

Question 5

Il s’agit … (sans ‘de’)

Answer 5

It is about … / It is …

Question 6

Why did one choose/Why did he choose

Answer 6

Pourquoi a-t-on choisi / pourquoi a-t-il choisi?

Question 7

How was it?

Answer 7

Comment c’était?

Comment était-ce (comment etEZ)?

Question 8

What happened?

Answer 8

Qu’est-ce qui se passé? (en general)

Question 9

What happened to you?

Answer 9

Qu’est-ce qui t’est arrivé? (more specific: YOU)

Ce qui t’est arrivé?

Question 10

What happened to her/him?

Answer 10

Ce qui lui est arrivé?

Question 11

It went well?

Answer 11

ça s’est bien passé (aujourd’hui, etc)

Question 12

What do you mean?

Answer 12

C’est-à-dire?

Question 13

How is his progress?

Answer 13

Comment est son progrès?

Question 14

What is it? What was it?

object, noise, smell … that is SUDDEN

Answer 14

Qu’est-ce que ç’est?

(use ‘EST’ for ‘etre’ since it’s PRESENT TENSE)

Qu’est-ce que c’était?

(use ‘ETAIS’ for ‘etre’ since it’s PAST TENSE)

Question 15

What IS it?
(only for an EVENT)

What WAS it?

Answer 15

Qui y a-t-il?

(use ‘A’ for ‘avoir’ even though it’s PRESENT TENSE)

Qui y avait-il?

Question 16

Please (before a request/command)

Answer 16

VEH-YEH

“Veuillez” is the second person plural conjugation1 of “vouloir” in the impératif présent. “Allez à l’arrière du bus” in french is a direct order; “Veuillez aller à l’arrière du bus” (litt. “Want to go to the back of the bus”) is softer. By consequence, it is indeed only used when you ask someone to do something. In English, you should indeed translate it by “please”.

Question 17

Can you write that down?

Answer 17

SVP, pouvez-vous l’écrire?

Question 18

Can you speak a little slower? It’s difficult for me to hear/understand.

Answer 18

Pouvez-vous parler en peu plus lentement. C’est difficile pour moi d’entendre/de comprendre.

Question 19

Who is it? (only for a PERSON)

Who was it?

Answer 19

Qui est-il? Qui est-elle?

Qui était-il/elle?

Question 20

if you care, if you insist, if you want

You’re showing her how much you care.
Why do you care?

Well, SINCE you insist, I’ll tell you.

SINCE you want it SO MUCH, try taking it from me (taking it from my hands).

Answer 20

Vous y tenez.
Tu y tiens.

CARE
Tu lui montres que tu y tiens.
Pourquoi tu y tiens ?

INSIST
Puisque (SINCE) tu y tiens, je vais te le dire.

WANT
Mais PUISQUE tu y tiens TELLEMENT, essaie de me le prendre des mains.

Question 21

Where is that?

Answer 21

Où est-ce?