- "Quel" is used for an open question (open answer) and "est-ce que" for a closed question (yes or no).
- "Est-ce que" is used to introduce a question.
- "Quel" agrees with the noun: "quel", "quelle", "quels", "quelles".
| Forme (Form) | Exemple (Example) |
|---|---|
| Est-ce que + sujet + verbe | Est-ce que tu as un cadeau? (Do you have a present?) |
| Quel (masculin singulier) + nom | Quel âge as-tu? (How old are you?) |
| Quelle (féminin singulier) + nom | Quelle année? (Which year?) |
| Quels (masculin pluriel) + nom | Quels cadeaux préfères-tu? (What gifts do you prefer?) |
| Quelles (féminin pluriel) + nom | Quelles fêtes célébrez-vous? (Which holidays do you celebrate?) |
Exceptions!
- "Quel" is not limited to questions, whereas the phrase "est-ce que" is only used in questions.
Exercise 1: Les mots interrogatifs: "Est-ce que" et "Quel"
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Quel, Est-ce que, Quelle, Quelles, Quels
1.
... est ton nom ?
(What is your name?)
2.
... tu es espagnol ?
(Are you Spanish?)
3.
... âge as-tu ?
(How old are you?)
4.
... cadeaux as-tu eu ?
(What gifts did you get?)
5.
... grand-mère prépare le gâteau d'anniversaire ?
(Which grandmother is preparing the birthday cake?)
6.
... cousines sont à ton anniversaire ?
(Which cousins are at your birthday?)
7.
... année es-tu né ?
(What year were you born?)
8.
... tu vis en Espagne ?
(Do you live in Spain?)
Exercise 2: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Est-ce que
Are
2
Quelles
Which
3
Quel
What
4
Quelle
What