questions Flashcards
Where are they?
Où sont-ils?
What is it about?
De quoi s’agit-il?
*You can ONLY say IL S’AGIT DE (it is about)
It was about …
Il s’agissait de/dese/du …
It is about … / It is … /It’s a question of …
Il s’agit de/des/du …
Il s’agit … (sans ‘de’)
It is about … / It is …
Why did one choose/Why did he choose
Pourquoi a-t-on choisi / pourquoi a-t-il choisi?
How was it?
Comment c’était?
Comment était-ce (comment etEZ)?
What happened?
Qu’est-ce qui se passé? (en general)
What happened to you?
Qu’est-ce qui t’est arrivé? (more specific: YOU)
Ce qui t’est arrivé?
What happened to her/him?
Ce qui lui est arrivé?
It went well?
ça s’est bien passé (aujourd’hui, etc)
What do you mean?
C’est-à-dire?
How is his progress?
Comment est son progrès?
What is it? What was it?
object, noise, smell … that is SUDDEN
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)
What IS it?
(only for an EVENT)
What WAS it?
Qui y a-t-il?
(use ‘A’ for ‘avoir’ even though it’s PRESENT TENSE)
Qui y avait-il?
Please (before a request/command)
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”.
Can you write that down?
SVP, pouvez-vous l’écrire?
Can you speak a little slower? It’s difficult for me to hear/understand.
Pouvez-vous parler en peu plus lentement. C’est difficile pour moi d’entendre/de comprendre.
Who is it? (only for a PERSON)
Who was it?
Qui est-il? Qui est-elle?
Qui était-il/elle?
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).
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.
Where is that?
Où est-ce?
