Interrogative pronouns are used to form questions. They are used to inquire about identity, nature, place, time, reason, manner, or quantity. The most common interrogative pronouns in French are qui, quoi, où, quand, pourquoi, comment, and combien.
Qui
Qui asks about a person's identity. It can be subject or direct object.
- Qui vient ce soir ? (Who is coming tonight?)
- Tu as vu qui au cinéma ? (Who did you see at the cinema?)
Quoi
Quoi is used to ask for information about a thing, object, or idea. Quoi has the same meaning as qu’est-ce que
- Tu manges quoi ? = Qu’est-ce que tu manges ? (What are you eating?)
- Tu penses à quoi ? (What are you thinking about?)
Où
Où inquires about the place.
- Où est-ce que tu habites ? (Where do you live?)
- Où est le restaurant ? (Where is the restaurant?)
Quand
Quand asks refers to a specific time or period of time.
- Quand est-ce que nous partons en vacances ? (When are we going on vacation?)
- Quand est ton anniversaire ? (When is your birthday?)
Pourquoi
Pourquoi seeks to know the reason or motive.
- Pourquoi est-ce que tu es triste ? (Why are you sad?)
- Pourquoi est-ce que la terre est ronde ? (Why is the earth round?)
Comment
Comment inquires about the manner or means.
- Comment vas-tu ? (How are you?)
- Comment faire un gâteau ? (How do you make a cake?)
Combien
Combien asks for a quantity or an amount.
- Combien de personnes viennent ? (How many people are coming?)
- Combien ça coûte ? (How much does it cost?)
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