Understanding Inversion in French Questions
In French, when we ask questions, we often use something called 'inversion.' This means we switch the order of the subject and the verb. It's like playing a game where the words change places to help us ask questions properly.
Let's look at how we can use inversion to ask questions in French.
Important Points
- Inversion is mostly used in formal or written French.
- The subject pronoun and the verb switch places.
- A hyphen is used between the verb and the subject pronoun.
- If the verb ends in a vowel and the subject pronoun begins with a vowel, add '-t-' between them.
- Inversion can also be used with question words like 'où' (where), 'que' (what), 'quand' (when).
Now, let's see some examples to understand how inversion works.
Examples
- Parle-t-il français?
- Où va-t-elle?
- Que fait-il?
In these examples, notice how the verb and the subject pronoun switch places. We also use a hyphen to connect them. If the verb ends with a vowel and the next word starts with a vowel, we add '-t-' in between to make it easier to say.
Remember, using inversion can make your French sound more formal and polished, especially in writing or when speaking in formal situations.
Examples
- Quand arrive-t-il?
- Pourquoi est-elle ici?
- Comment va-t-il?