Question Words — I can use question words (qui, que/qu'est-ce que, où, quand, comment, pourquoi) to get detailed information.

Every language needs a way to ask questions, and French is no exception. The interrogative words (les mots interrogatifs) in French descend directly from Latin, the language spoken across the Roman Empire. As Latin evolved into the Romance languages — French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian — each language adapted these questioning tools to fit its own sound system and grammar. Understanding this evolution helps you see why French question words look and behave the way they do today.

So why do you need to master these six words? Because yes/no questions (like Tu aimes le chocolat ?) only get you a oui or a non. To get real, detailed information — who did something, what happened, where, when, how, or why — you need interrogative words. They are the keys that unlock richer, more meaningful conversations.

Before diving into each word individually, it helps to understand the core ideas that govern how French question words operate. These principles apply regardless of which word you are using or which register (formal vs. informal) you are speaking in.

Notice how each question word connects to a distinct category of information. When you form a question in French, your first step is to decide what kind of answer you want, then select the matching word from the map. Are you looking for a person? Use qui. A reason? Use pourquoi. This diagram is your mental blueprint for choosing the right question word every time.

Three Ways to Build a Question

In French, you don't just pick the right question word — you also need to choose a question structure. There are three main structures, and each one has a different level of formality. All six question words can be used with any of the three structures, which means you have a lot of flexibility once you understand the system.

Special Notes on Que and Qui

The word que (what) behaves a little differently from the other question words. When used alone, it requires inversion: Que fais-tu ? (What are you doing?). If you want to avoid inversion, you use the longer form qu'est-ce que: Qu'est-ce que tu fais ? Also remember that que elides before a vowel, becoming qu': Qu'as-tu ? (What do you have?).

The word qui (who) is unique because when it is the subject of the sentence, there is no inversion and no est-ce que needed: Qui parle français ? (Who speaks French?). However, when qui is the object, you can use est-ce que or inversion: Qui est-ce que tu connais ? or Qui connais-tu ? (Whom do you know?).

Now let's look at each question word individually, with example sentences at multiple formality levels. Pay close attention to the type of answer each word elicits — this is the key to using them correctly in conversation and writing.

Imagine you are writing an email to your French pen pal. You want to ask several questions about their upcoming trip to Lyon. Let's walk through the process of selecting the right question word and forming each question correctly.

Because English and French share many question word concepts, some aspects feel intuitive. However, there are key differences that can trip you up. The table below highlights both the helpful similarities and the common pitfalls.

The six question words you are learning now form the foundation for more complex questioning patterns you'll encounter in French 3 and beyond. As your proficiency grows, you will layer additional grammar onto these same interrogative roots. Here's a preview of what's coming.

The important point is that the six question words you're mastering now don't change — they simply appear in more sophisticated sentence structures. Mastering them solidly at this stage means you're building a grammatical foundation that will serve you through AP French, college-level courses, and real-world conversations in francophone countries.