How to Ask for Someone's Opinion Politely in French
Learn elementary French phrases to ask what someone thinks, including formal and informal options, with pronunciation and usage notes.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
Asking for someone's opinion is a core conversation skill. In French, the phrase you choose depends on how formal the situation is and how well you know the person. This lesson teaches you to ask 'What do you think?' and similar questions without giving your own opinion. You will learn the key verb penser (to think), the difference between tu and vous, and set phrases like à votre avis.
By the end, you can…
- ask a friend what they think using tu.
- ask a stranger or superior politely using vous.
- use set phrases like à votre avis and qu'est-ce que vous en pensez.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Qu'est-ce que tu penses ?
What do you think? (informal)
kess-kuh too pahnss
Use with friends, family, classmates, and people you call tu. The final s in penses is silent.
Qu'est-ce que vous pensez ?
What do you think? (formal or plural)
kess-kuh voo pahn-say
Use with strangers, older people, superiors, or when speaking to more than one person.
Qu'est-ce que vous en pensez ?
What do you think about it? (formal)
kess-kuh voo zahn pahn-say
The word en means 'about it' or 'of it'. Use this when the topic is already clear.
À votre avis ?
In your opinion? (formal)
ah votr ah-vee
A polite set phrase. It can stand alone as a question. Use à ton avis with someone you address as tu.
Tu en penses quoi ?
What do you think about it? (informal)
too ahn pahnss kwah
Very common in everyday spoken French. The question word quoi goes at the end.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is qu'est-ce que + subject + penser. With tu: Qu'est-ce que tu penses ? With vous: Qu'est-ce que vous pensez ? To ask about a specific thing already mentioned, add en before the verb: Qu'est-ce que vous en pensez ? In informal speech, French speakers often use statement order plus quoi at the end: Tu penses quoi ? or Tu en penses quoi ?
When to use it
Choose tu with friends, family, and people your age in casual settings. Choose vous with strangers, shopkeepers, teachers, and anyone older unless they invite you to use tu. À votre avis is safe in most polite situations. À ton avis is its informal partner. If you are unsure, use vous; it is rarely wrong in a first conversation.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Tu as vu ce film ? Qu'est-ce que tu en penses ?
Have you seen this movie? What do you think about it?too ah vew suh feelm kess-kuh too ahn pahnssOui, je l'ai vu hier. Et toi, tu en penses quoi ?
Yes, I saw it yesterday. And you, what do you think about it?wee zhuh lay vew ee-air ay twah too ahn pahnss kwahMoi, je ne sais pas encore. À ton avis, c'est bien ?
Me, I don't know yet. In your opinion, is it good?mwah zhuh nuh say pah ahn-kor ah tohn ah-vee say byanJe pense que oui, mais demande à Marie. À votre avis, Marie ?
I think so, but ask Marie. In your opinion, Marie?zhuh pahnss kuh wee may duh-mahnd ah mah-ree ah votr ah-vee mah-reeA little context goes a long way
French has a strong tu/vous distinction. Using tu too early can seem overly familiar, while using vous with a close friend can sound distant. In many workplaces, colleagues use tu with each other but vous with clients. When in doubt, start with vous and wait for the other person to say on peut se tutoyer (we can use tu with each other).
One thing to watch for
Saying Qu'est-ce que tu penses de ? with nothing after de, or using tu with a stranger.
Try this instead: Penser de needs an object: Qu'est-ce que tu penses de ce film ? If the topic is already clear, use en: Qu'est-ce que tu en penses ? With a stranger, use vous: Qu'est-ce que vous en pensez ?
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You want to ask your friend Léa what she thinks about a book you both discussed. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Qu'est-ce que tu en penses ?
Tu matches a friend, and en refers to the book already mentioned. Tu en penses quoi ? is also correct and more casual.
2You are speaking to your new boss. Ask politely for her opinion on a plan.
Show a sample answer
Qu'est-ce que vous en pensez ?
Vous shows respect to a superior, and en refers to the plan. À votre avis ? would also work if the topic is clear.
3Which phrase uses the informal tu form of 'in your opinion'?
Show a sample answer
À ton avis ?
Ton is the informal possessive used with tu. À votre avis is the formal or plural version.
Use tu with friends and vous in polite or unfamiliar situations. Add en when the topic is already clear, and remember à votre avis as a safe polite question.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s French into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr