In French, "Est-ce que" and "Qu'est-ce que" are phrases used to ask questions.
Est-ce que
"Est-ce que" is used to turn a statement into a question without changing word order.
- Statement: "Tu aimes le chocolat." → Question: "Est-ce que tu aimes le chocolat ?"
- Statement: "Il va pleuvoir." → Question: "Est-ce qu'il va pleuvoir ?"
Qu’est-ce que
"Qu'est-ce que" is used to ask for information about the subject or object of the sentence.
- Asking for specific information: "Qu'est-ce que tu fais?"
- Seeking a definition: "Qu'est-ce que la démocratie?"
Distinction and Usage
The difference between "Est-ce que" and "Qu'est-ce que" lies in the type of response expected:
- "Est-ce que" is used to ask a closed-ended question (yes/no).
- "Qu'est-ce que" introduces a question whose answer is an information, a description, or an explanation.
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