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French Grammar

Forming Yes/No Questions via Intonation

Using rising vocal pitch to transform statements into questions without altering word order.

Level A1 Category Grammar

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Lesson Summary

Using rising vocal pitch to transform statements into questions without altering word order.

Grammar

The Simplest Way to Ask a Question

In spoken French, a statement becomes a yes/no question by raising the pitch of the voice at the end of the sentence. The word order does not change. This pattern was first encountered in the greeting Ça va ? (see greetings and salutations).

How Intonation Works

Any affirmative sentence can be turned into a question. For example, the statement Tu parles français. (You speak French) becomes the question Tu parles français ? (Do you speak French?) solely through a rising pitch at the end. In writing, only the question mark is added.

Statement → Question (Intonation)

Statement	Question	Verb
Tu es étudiant.	Tu es étudiant ?	être
Vous avez 20 ans.	Vous avez 20 ans ?	avoir
Elle parle français.	Elle parle français ?	parler (-er)
Nous allons au cinéma.	Nous allons au cinéma ?	aller
Ils font du sport.	Ils font du sport ?	faire
Tu veux un café.	Tu veux un café ?	vouloir
Vous vous levez tôt.	Vous vous levez tôt ?	pronominal

Important Notes

The word order remains identical to the statement. In writing, the question mark alone marks the interrogative. In speech, the voice must rise at the end; this is the most natural questioning method in informal spoken French. Formal structures (e.g., with est-ce que) will be introduced later.

Examples

Tu habites à Paris ?
Rising pitch on Paris signals a question.
Il fait beau ?
Rising pitch on beau.

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Forming Yes/No Questions via IntonationUsing rising vocal pitch to transform statements into questions without altering word order.Produce yes/no questions by applying a rising intonation pattern to standard declarative sentences.GrammarA1grammarLearn French GrammarFrench GrammarThe Simplest Way to Ask a QuestionIn spoken French, a statement becomes a yes/no question by raising the pitch of the voice at the end of the sentence. The word order does not change. This pattern was first encountered in the greeting Ça va ? (see greetings and salutations).