Est-ce que: The French Question Maker

What is Est-ce que?

Est-ce que (pronounced "es-kuh") is a question phrase meaning "is it that" and turns any statement into a question without changing word order.

Basic Formation

Statement: "Vous aimez le café" (You like coffee) Question: "Est-ce que vous aimez le café?" (Do you like coffee?)

Structure:

Est-ce que + subject + verb + rest of sentence

Common Uses

Yes/No Questions

1. "Est-ce que tu vas à l'école?" (Are you going to school?)

• Used here for a simple yes/no question about an action

2. "Est-ce qu'il pleut?" (Is it raining?)

• Notice: est-ce qu' before a vowel sound

3. "Est-ce que vous travaillez demain?" (Are you working tomorrow?)

• Shows how the rest of the sentence stays exactly as it would in a statement

Information Questions

Combined with question words:

1. Où (where): "Où est-ce que tu habites?" (Where do you live?)

• Question word comes before est-ce que

2. Quand (when): "Quand est-ce qu'on part?" (When are we leaving?)

• Notice the liaison with est-ce qu'

3. Comment (how): "Comment est-ce que ça marche?" (How does this work?)

• Used for asking about processes or methods

Everyday Examples

At a Restaurant:

"Est-ce que vous avez une table pour deux?" (Do you have a table for two?)

• Perfect for polite questions in formal settings

In Conversation:

"Est-ce que tu comprends?" (Do you understand?)

• Common in casual speech

Shopping:

"Est-ce que je peux essayer?" (Can I try it on?)

• Shows how est-ce que works with "can/may" questions

Advantages of Est-ce que

1. Word Order:

• Keeps the same subject-verb order as statements
• Makes it easier for beginners to form questions

2. Formality Level:

• Appropriate for both formal and informal situations
• Less formal than inversion but more formal than intonation

3. Versatility:

• Works with all types of verbs
• Can be used with any subject

Common Variations

Est-ce qu' + vowel

• Est-ce qu'il... (Is he/it...)
• Est-ce qu'elle... (Is she/it...)
• Est-ce qu'on... (Are we/Is one...)

Qu'est-ce que (What)

"Qu'est-ce que c'est?" (What is it?)

• Special form for "what" questions
• Very common in everyday speech

Tips for Usage

• Always use est-ce qu' (with apostrophe) before words starting with vowels
• Keep the rest of your sentence exactly as you would say it in a statement
• Remember that est-ce que creates questions that can always be answered by oui or non
• In informal speech, some French speakers drop the "est" and just say "c'que"

This question form is particularly useful because it's straightforward and works in almost all situations.

Practice forming questions with statements you already know.