The interrogative form

Question 1

There are several ways of asking a question in French.
a. Est-ce que + subject + verb (colloquial and spoken form)

Answer 1

Est-ce que vous êtes libre?
Are you free?
Est-ce que vous aimez l’opéra?
Do you like opera?

Question 2

b. Inversion: verb + subject (more formai and written form)

Answer 2

Êtes-vous libre?
Are y ou free?
Aimez-vous l’opéra?
Do you like opera?

Question 3

ln the inversion of the third person singular a -t- is inserted to make
the pronunciation clearer.

Answer 3

Achète-t-elle un cadeau?
ls she buying a present?
Va-t-il au festival?
ls he going to the festival?
Organise-t-il une soirée?
ls he organizing a party?

Question 4

c. Upward intonation without any change in sentence structure (spoken
language only).

Answer 4

Vous êtes libre?
Are y ou free?
Vous aimez l’opéra?
Do you like opera?
Ça va?
How are you?