# FR: Interrogation partielle (où, quand, comment, combien, pourquoi…) : inversion sujet-verbe / inversion complexe / est-ce que ?



## feldede

Hi,

This is my first post on this great forum.

I am learning French and having difficulties with question formation.
Are the following questions correct? My reservation about the questions is whether I need to add '-t-il/elle/ils, etc'.

Où va Pierre?
Quand vient Pierre?
Quand va Pierre au cinéma?
Où habite Pierre?
Où habitent tes enfants?

Thanks.

*Moderator note: *multiple threads merged to create this one


----------



## geve

Hello feldede, et sois le bienvenu ici  

All your sentences are correct.
I can think of one situation where you will need to add a pronoun in questions where the subject is already stated ("Pierre", "tes enfants"...) : with the passé composé, when the subject is at the beginning of the sentence. You will need to put a pronoun between the auxiliary and the participle :
_Où Pierre a-t-il acheté ce gâteau ? (_But: _Où est-ce que Pierre a acheté ce gâteau ?)_
_Quand Pierre est-il allé au cinéma ? (_But: _Quand est-ce que Pierre est allé au cinéma ?)_

Maybe the pronoun is added to differentiate the question from the affirmative sentence ? eg: _Je suis parti quand Pierre est allé au cinéma_

My answer is probably non exhaustive and certainly not very "academic"... Hopefully other grammairiens will post other comments that will help you !


----------



## feldede

I distinguished eight different information question structures. I think they differ according to register, from very formal to very informal, but as are, they are very confusing. I didn't include the questions with 'est-ce que' because they are clear, (I think).

Do you think the categories below are right?

1. question word + verb + hypen (-) (t) (-) + subject pronoun 
Où habitez-vous?
Quand pars-tu?
Où allez-vous?
Qu'aimes-tu manger?
*past forms change: Où avez-vous habité? Quand es-tu parti? Où êtes-vous allé? Que as-tu aimé manger?

2. question word + name + verb + hypen (-) (t) (-) + subject pronoun
Quand vos parents arrivent-ils?
Où Pierre habite-il?
Qui vos parents invitent-ils?
*past forms change: Quand vos parents sont-ils arrivés? Où Pierre a-t-il habité? Qui vos parents ont-ils invité?

3. question word + subject pronoun + verb
Quelle veste tu porteras?
De quoi vous avez peur?
Où tu vas?

4. question word + verb (questions asking for the doer of the action)
Quelle cadeau lui fait plaisir?
Qui a construit la tour Eiffel?

5. the question word embedded:
Vous habitez où?
Tu as payé combien?

6. question word + a form of être + subject
Quels sont vos horaires de travail?
Quelle est votre profession?

7. Qui est-ce?

8. question word + verb + subject
Quand rentre le directeur?
Quand arrivera la professeur?
Combien nous doit Pierre?


----------



## Big Jim

I am not a french grammar teacher, but I would answer as franch native speaker  as follows :

Où habitez-vous? 
Où Pierre habite-il? => Où Pierre habite-*t**-*il ? 
Où Pierre habite? => definitely no 
Qui habite dans cette maison? 
Vous habitez où?  tick Familiar, oral conversation; better use : Où habitez-vous ? 

Où habite Pierre ?


----------



## geve

You are right, Feldede, there are several levels of language here:
(I've selected sentences where there's a "doer", which was your question originally  )

(regular question form) _subject / pronoun_
Où Pierre habite-t-il ? / Où habite-t-il ?

(regular question form, slightly less formal) _subject / pronoun_
Où est-ce que Pierre habite ? Où est-ce qu'il habite ?

(spoken language, informal) _subject / pronoun_
Pierre habite où ? Il habite où ?


----------



## cheshire

1. Quand est-ce que le train pour Bordeaux part? [SV]

2. Quand est-ce que part le train pour Bordeaux? [VS]

3. De quel quai part le train pour Bordeaux? [VS]

4. De quel quai le train pour Bordeaux part? [SV]

I saw 1 and 3 in a textbook. Are all of the above word orders correct?


----------



## carolineR

no 1, 2 and 3 are, though I prefer 2 and 3
4 should be : De quel quai le train pour Bordeaux part-il?  Now it's corrected, I prefer 4 to 3


----------



## marget

I agree with carolineR's correction of #4, but I don't think that #2 is correct.  Can we actually use_ est-ce que_ plus inversion of verb and subject?


----------



## Cyrrus

marget said:


> Can we actually use_ est-ce que_ plus inversion of verb and subject?


 Yes, it's quite common, but slipshod.


----------



## donques

Regarding Marget's query about number two.
If 'pour Bordeaux' is regarded as an adverbial complement, then it is not allowed.
If you are talking about le train pour Bordeaux as the "Bordeaux train", where pour Bordeaux is an adjectival then yes you can.


----------



## marget

I'm not sure I understand your distinction.  I've always thought that est-ce que and inversion were mutually exclusive, at least in the strictly grammatical context.


----------



## ihaveaquestion

you normally either use est ce que or the VS inversion, and gramatically speaking you should not use both. In fact i have hardly ever heard it
 #1 doesnt sound that bad because there is quand before est ce que and that is what messes up everything =)

#4 is definitely incorrect, and caroline's correction would only apply if it was a yes or no question : "Le train pour Bordeaux part-il a 8H?" mais "De quel quai part le train pour B.?" is the only correct option I think


----------



## donques

Hi Marget
If you were saying that the train is going to Bordeaux, you are using an adverbial. If you say it is the Bordeaux train it is an adjective.
I'm sorry if my earlier post was unclear.


----------



## carolineR

Anyway, the best solution, by far, is : Quand le train pour Bordeaux part-il?


----------



## donques

Marget
As I understand it est-ce que and inversion are possible when est-ce que is preceded by quand, but it is very 'lourd'
I would always pose this question in the way Caroline proposed it.
However with an intransitive verb like partir, it is not possible if there is an adverbial complement.
If you were to say 'le train rouge', it would be allowed but considered 'lourd'


----------



## carolineR

Honestly, I don't find 
"Quand est-ce que part le train pour Bordeaux?" that "lourd" nor that slipshod.
I am no grammar buff, but I feel the "est-ce que and inversion" are not mutually exclusive here only because of the length of the subject (le train pour Bordeaux) 
Indeed, I would never say "Quand est-ce que part le train?"


----------



## zipp404

In the following open-ended question with a subject NOUN, is *inversion* without the pronoun "il" possible?

For example:

*(A)* Quel âge a Monsieur DUVAL?

or, must I in this case adhere absoluely to this word order:

*(B)* Quel âge Monsieur DUVAL a-t-il?

Are both word orders possible in this case or just B?

Merci d'une bonne réponse à ma question..

zipp404


----------



## Stéphane89

Both are correct here. Though B sounds more formal and would rather be used when writing. (in my opinion).


----------



## zipp404

Is A below correct?  or only B ?

(A) Où travaille M. Duval?

(B) Où M. Duval travaille-t-il?

Merci d'une bonne réponse a cette deuxième question...


----------



## CapnPrep

Both are correct, again.


----------



## roymail

But, particulaly in the second example (où...), use B in written french.
In spoken french we often say also : où est-ce que M. Duval habite ?


----------



## Beluso

Hi,
I have read intently the thread, and I've got a question unsolved:

1. Où Pierre habite? feldede said "definitely not"

2. Où tu habites? supposedly it is correct (I've seen it so many times)

3. Où habites-tu? Où est-ce que tu habites? Tu habites où?
correct, no doubt

why is there a difference between 1 and 2? haven't they the same structure?


----------



## Little Star

Hi there,

Im wondering which one sounds better. You would go for which one more? For me the first one actually needs a lot of practice; so is that wrong if I use the second in a formal situation? 

1- Pourquoi ne vas-tu pas regarder les affiches?
2- Pourquoi tu ne vas pas regarder les affiches? 


Thanks


----------



## machigma

1- Pourquoi ne vas-tu pas regarder les affiches?
2- Pourquoi tu ne vas pas regarder les affiches?

The first sentence is perfectly good Fench, be it written or spoken.
The second one is colloquial, and you would only find it in spoken language, but note that it is not really correct French. Please note also that affiche(s) take to "f".


----------



## brandolino

Recently I've come across questions in spoken French starting with combien de + subject + verb without est-ce que, for example:
Combien de pommes tu as mangées? 
However, I learned years ago that you have to use est-ce que if you start a question with a question word: Combien de pommes est-ce que tu as mangées.
In everyday spoken French, I learned, you usually put question words at the end: Tu as mangé combien de pommes? Alternatively, you could use inversion: Combien de pommes as-tu mangées? which is mostly used in written French.
So here is my question: is it OK to say Combien de pommes tu as mangées in colloquial French or will people frown or believe that the speaker is uneducated? Teachers of French: would you mark it wrong?
Best regards and thanks in advance for your help!


----------



## cropje_jnr

Omitting "_est-ce que_" (or an inversion, whichever the case may be) is somewhat colloquial and is appropriate for conversational French. There is no reason it's grammatically incorrect, however the more traditional forms are preferable in the written context.


----------



## Lacuzon

Hi,

Cropje_jnr is right, meanwhile after Combien the inversion is the more common option, even in conversationnal french

I would *say *Combien de pommes as-tu mangées ?, never Combien tu as mangé de pommes ?


----------



## bettybolid

[…]
En langage familier, on dira "Tu as mangé combien de pommes ?" ou plus précisément "T'as mangé combien de pommes ?". A ne pas utiliser à l'écrit, sauf dans des dialogues !


----------



## Maître Capello

bettybolid said:


> En langage familier, on dira "Tu as mangé combien de pommes ?" ou plus précisément "T'as mangé combien de pommes ?". A ne pas utiliser à l'écrit, sauf dans des dialogues !




À l'écrit et dans la langue soignée, on a le choix suivant :

_Combien de pommes est-ce que tu as mangées ?_ (standard)
_Combien de pommes as-tu mangées ?_ (soigné)


----------



## -ellis

Bonjour,

Si je voulait demander une question, quelle phrase serait la plus correcte?

*Pourquoi il y a *les personnes qui voulaient...?​ou

*Pourquoi y a-t-il* les personnes qui voulaient....?
​Je vous remercie en avance.


----------



## Meyer Wolfsheim

Je dirais et j'écoute dire ma prof toujours: pourquoi est-ce qu'il y a...

Mais je suis certain qu'on peut employer l'inversion également et on l'aperçois plus formelle qu'interrogatif+est-ce que..


----------



## Maître Capello

En français, il y a plusieurs façons de poser une question avec un adverbe interrogatif :

Inversion sujet-verbe → _Pourquoi y a-t-il des personnes qui… ?_ (tour le plus soutenu des trois, mais néanmoins pas précieux)
Introducteur _est-ce que_ → _Pourquoi est-ce qu'il y a des personnes qui… ?_ (tour usuel)
Ordre normal des mots sans introducteur → _Pourquoi il y a des personnes qui… ?_ (langue parlée)
Adverbe interrogatif repoussé en fin de phrase → _Il y a des personnes qui … pourquoi ?_ (langue parlée familière)
Voir aussi FR: Façons de poser une question : est-ce que / inversion sujet-verbe / intonation


----------



## garoto36

Je voudrais savoir comment est-ce qu'on fait pour poser cette question en utilisant la structure "est-ce que" :

Combien d'enfants vos parents ont-ils ?

Mon essai me sonne bizarre :

Combien d’enfants est-ce que vos parents ont ?

merci d'avance pour votre réponse


----------



## Maître Capello

Votre phrase est pourtant correcte. 

_Combien d'enfants est-ce que vos parents ont ?_ ​
Cela dit, on dira plus vraisemblablement :

_Combien de frères et sœurs avez-vous ?_​
Ou si on veut le nombre total d'enfants :

_Combien de frères et sœurs êtes-vous ?_​


----------



## Kleuna

When one asks a question with an interrogative (où, quand, comment...) does it always have to be inverted?  
Où veut Liza aller?   Où Liza veut aller?
Pourquoi pleures-tu?   Pourquoi tu pleures?     etc...

Merci.


----------



## atcheque

Bonjour,

L'inversion est obligatoire en *français normé*.

Où veut Liza aller ?  Où Liza veut-elle aller ?  Où veut aller Liza ? 

Où Liza veut aller ?  colloquial

Pourquoi pleures-tu ? 
Pourquoi tu pleures ?  colloquial


----------



## All in One

_Est-ce que_ is less pompous than the invention and perhaps easier to use.

_Où est-ce que Liza veut aller ?_ which looks a lot like the English _Where is it that Liza wants to go_?

In France French, I would keep the invertion for a formal piece of writing


----------



## M.Smith

Bonjour, tout le monde,

I'm a little confused by the rules on inversion with nouns and pronouns.
For example, I'm wondering whether the following question is permissible:

_D'où vient le petit prince ?
_
If it's true that inversion only works with pronouns, do I really have to say instead,

_D'où le petit prince vient-il ?
_
Finally, does this kind of sentence have its own rules because it begins with a preposition? In a question _without_ a preposition, would I say,

_Où le petit prince se trouve-t-il ?   _or simply,   _Où se trouve le petit prince ?
_
Merci de votre aide.


----------



## quinoa

Both are correct.
Quand le petit prince viendra-t-il. Quand viendra le petit prince?


----------



## OLN

L'inversion complexe, quand elle n'est pas obligatoire*, peut toutefois passer pour inutilement lourde.

* voir ici une belle explication de Piotr Ivanovitch: Pourquoi les enfants posent(-ils) trop de questions ? - question avec inversion simple / complexe


----------



## Emmanue11e

Is it possible to say _Où habite Catherine? Où habite ta famille? _Or must one say _Où habite-elle, Catherine? Où habite-elle, ta famille?_ I feel like _Où habite-elle, ta famille?_ is a strange phrase, but I also was told that you can only use inversion with pronouns. If anyone knows of any relevant threads, please share the links. I feel like this must have been asked before, but it is hard to search for.


----------



## Oddmania

Hi,

Learning how to phrase a question in French can be a real pain in the neck! It should be either* a. *_Où habite Catherine ? _or *b.* _Où Catherine habite-t-elle ?_ (not to mention the couple other non-inverted structures). Your version with a comma is also possible, but I feel like it's not the most natural way to put it.

Also, for some reason, structure* b.* doesn't seem to work (not for me, at least) if the sentence starts with _Que_...  You can say_ *Où *Jean va-t-il ? *Quand *Jean rentre-t-il ? *Comment *Jean va-t-il ?_ but you cannot seem to say _Que Jean fait-il ?  _(or is it only me?) The only way to put it using inversion is with structure* a.*, that is _Que fait Jean ?_


----------



## Emmanue11e

But you can say _Que fait-il? _So wouldn't _Que fait-il, Jean?_ or something like that be ok? 

My main question is whether sentences like _Que fait ta soeur? _and _Où joue ton frère? _are correct even though they aren't pronouns.


----------



## Oddmania

The problem with "_Que fait-il*,* Jean ?_" or "_Où habite-t-elle*,* Catherine ?_" is that you repeat the subject with an apposition in a fairly informal fashion, and yet you use the inversion, which, in my version of French, is regarded as pretty formal and hardly ever used at all in everyday conversation. It doesn't mesh too well. It sounds a bit odd to me. It's not that it's incorrect, it's just that I wouldn't use it. I'd expect either _Où Catherine habite-t-elle ?_ (standard inversion) or a more informal _Elle habite où, Catherine ? _/_ Où est-ce qu'elle habite, Catherine ?_.


Emmanue11e said:


> My main question is whether sentences like _Que fait ta soeur? _and _Où joue ton frère? _are correct even though they aren't pronouns.


Yes, that's fine. Here's a list of all the different ways I can think of:

*a.* Où Catherine habite-t-elle ? (academic, standard French).
*b.* Où habite Catherine ? (standard).
*c. *Où est-ce que Catherine habite ? (standard). 
*d. *Où est-ce qu'elle habite, Catherine ? (conversational).
*e. *Où elle habite, Catherine ? (conversational).
*f. *Elle habite où, Catherine ? (informal).​If the sentence starts with "_Que... ?_" instead, you should *1)* remove options *a. *and *e.*, *2)* use _quoi _instead of _que _with structure *f.* (for instance, "_Il fait quoi, Jean ?_").


----------

