# vous parlez / parlez-vous



## abstraction

This question could pertain to any verb. I was wondering if it matters when forming a question whether the vous or the verb comes first. Example: "Vous parlez francais?" or "Parlez-vous francais?"


----------



## DearPrudence

When I was at school I learnt there were 3 ways to ask a question:

*"Parlez-vous français ?" *(the more correct/formal) 
*"Est-ce que vous parlez français ?"* (more informal. Considered not very elegant)
*"Vous parlez français ?"* (informal) (same order as an affirmative sentence, just the intonation changes)


----------



## LaMiss

_"Est-ce que vous parlez français?"_ est une forme plutôt orale qui évite l'inversion du sujet, mais elle est pratiquement obligatoire à la première personne du singulier:

Exemple: Je sais parler français. --> _Est-ce que je sais parler français?_


----------



## abstraction

Does that mean that one should not ask questions starting with "est-ce que".. that's the way I was taught. Or it should only be used with first person?


----------



## abstraction

Another example: When will you be coming?
Translation?: "Quand est-ce que vous viendrez?" or " Quand viendrez-vous?"


----------



## DearPrudence

abstraction said:


> Does that mean that one should not ask questions starting with "est-ce que".. that's the way I was taught. Or it should only be used with first person?


Why couldn't you?
Sometimes, it makes the sentence sound awkward but you can use "est-ce" of course (though not very elegant at times)



abstraction said:


> Another example: When will you be coming?
> Translation?: "Quand est-ce que vous viendrez?" or " Quand viendrez-vous?"


Or, more informal:
*"Vous viendrez quand ?"*


----------



## Alatariel

When speaking a lot of French people will use the form with "est-ce que" even if it is not considered very elegant. It depends who you're adressing. In a very informal way you will even drop the future: "Quand est-ce que vous venez". But you should not use it in the classroom because it is considered improper.


----------



## Poischich

> Another example: When will you be coming?
> Translation?: "Quand est-ce que vous viendrez?" or " Quand viendrez-vous?"


 
both are correct
"est-ce que" is correct in almost every situation, but it is not very pleasant to read or to say in a lot of sentences, c'est lourd comme formulation

so we use a lot "Parlez-vous anglais ?" or "vous parlez anglais ?" (the only difference between the two is if you're familiar with the person you're talking to or not), but like LaMiss said, you can't use it everytime

by the way, just for your information, there is a space between the sentence and "?" in french (unlike in english), so "Parlez-vous anglais ?" and not "Parlez-vous anglais?"


----------



## abstraction

" Quand est-ce que vous viendrez?", " Quand viendrez vous?",
*"Vous viendrez quand ?"*
I'm assuming all of the above forms are correct then?


----------



## abstraction

( Apologize, I did not see the above post before posting.) Thank you for the tip on question marks. Is there an explanation ?


----------



## Poischich

abstraction said:


> ( Apologize, I did not see the above post before posting.) Thank you for the tip on question marks. Is there an explanation ?


 
I don't know the real explanation, but that's a punctuation rule in french
you have to put a space to each side of a mark which have two symbols in it (like ? ! : ; )
other marks don't have the space before, just a space after

so you write "Bonjour. Comment t'appelles-tu ? Moi, c'est Jean-Pierre !"
and not like in english "Bonjour. Comment t'appelles-tu? Moi, c'est Jean-Pierre!"

it's not a very important rule, though 
but you may check in books written in english and french


----------



## abstraction

Wow. I have never been told this and I've been studying french for over 12 years. Very good to know!


----------



## itka

> "est-ce que" is correct in almost every situation, but it is not very pleasant to read or to say in a lot of sentences, c'est lourd comme formulation



I don't agree with you poischich, I think this is the most colloquial way to ask a question in french !

Nearly all our questions begin with "est-ce que "... I wouldn't say it's not elegant... It is less formal, but very normal in conversation...

Do you really use this sentence :
"Avez-vous l'heure ?" 
or would you ask :
"est-ce que vous avez l'heure ?"

It is a little bit more ponderous when you need another word before :
Quand est-ce que...
Où est-ce que...
or even : pourquoi est-ce que...
but I (and I'm not alone !) use always these forms.


----------



## Poischich

itka said:


> I don't agree with you poischich, I think this is the most colloquial way to ask a question in french !
> 
> Nearly all our questions begin with "est-ce que "... I wouldn't say it's not elegant... It is less formal, but very normal in conversation...
> 
> Do you really use this sentence :
> "Avez-vous l'heure ?"
> or would you ask :
> "est-ce que vous avez l'heure ?"
> 
> It is a little bit more ponderous when you need another word before :
> Quand est-ce que...
> Où est-ce que...
> or even : pourquoi est-ce que...
> but I (and I'm not alone !) use always these forms.


 
well, I would ask "vous avez l'heure ?" or "est-ce que vous avez l'heure ?"
I wasn't saying that "est-ce que" IS bad or inelegant, but that it can be in a lot of sentences

for example, you never ask two questions coup sur coup with "est-ce que"...


----------

