Everyday questions and negative sentences

Turn a statement into a question

In conversation, a question can use statement order with a rising voice: tu travailles demain ? Est-ce que provides another useful pattern: est-ce que tu travailles demain ?

Before a vowel sound, que becomes qu’: est-ce qu’elle travaille ? The phrase est-ce que introduces the question but does not change the main verb ending.

Put ne and pas around the verb

The standard written negative places ne before the conjugated verb and pas after it: je ne travaille pas. Ne becomes n’ before a vowel sound: je n’aime pas.

In everyday speech, people often omit ne. Learn to recognize je sais pas, but use the complete ne… pas pattern in these writing exercises. Keep the subject: je ne travaille pas, not ne travaille pas alone.

Ask for specific information

Où asks where, quand asks when, comment asks how, and pourquoi asks why. Qu’est-ce que tu fais ? is a common what question. Learn that phrase as a whole before analyzing every word.

Parce que introduces a reason. A short question and answer can form a useful exchange: pourquoi ? Parce que je travaille. Give one reason and let the conversation continue.

Lesson vocabulary

Read each word aloud, then test your recall of its meaning.

Practice questions

Answer the questions and read the explanations. You can repeat the exercises.

I can ask an everyday question. I can make a standard negative sentence. I can ask why and give a reason.