Inverted questions in the present tense (Le Présent) in French - regular forms (except il/elle/on forms)

You've already seen simple ways to ask Yes or No questions (Asking yes/no questions in French with intonation, est-ce que, n'est-ce pas (French Questions)), now look at this more elaborate and elegant way to ask questions in French:

Forming Simple Yes/No questions by inverting

Look at this example:

Tu parles français => Parles-tu français ?
You speak French => Do you speak French?

To form inverted questions in French, you simply place the subject pronoun (je, tu, nous, vous, ils, elles) after the verb, and insert an hyphen in-between.

Here are some more examples:

Allez-vous à Paris ?Are you going to Paris?

Habitez-vous à Paris ?Do you live in Paris?

As-tu un animal ?Do you have an animal?

Parles-tu français ?Do you speak French?

Aimes-tu le chocolat ?Do you like chocolate?

 


More Complex Questions Using Question Words

This rule also applies to questions using question words (comment, où, quand, que...) :

Comment fais-tu ça ?How do you do that?

Comment allez-vous ?How are you doing?

va-t-on ce soir ?Where are we going tonight?


See also these related lessons:

Asking questions in French with "qui/que/quoi/quand/où/comment/pourquoi/combien" (French Question Words)

Que + [inverted statement] ? = What ... ? (French Questions)

ATTENTION:
Inverted questions with il/elle/on are a bit trickier: Inverted questions in the present tense (Le Présent) in French - il/elle/on forms

 

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Learn more about these related French grammar topics

Examples and resources

Comment allez-vous ?How are you doing?
Parles-tu français ?Do you speak French?
As-tu un animal ?Do you have an animal?
Habitez-vous à Paris ?Do you live in Paris?
Allez-vous à Paris ?Are you going to Paris?
Aimes-tu le chocolat ?Do you like chocolate?
Comment fais-tu ça ?How do you do that?
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