French for Beginners: Forming Yes/No Questions with 'Être' and 'Faire'
Learn to ask simple yes/no questions in French using 'être' (to be) and 'faire' (to do) with inversion and 'est-ce que', and answer naturally.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In French, yes/no questions can be formed in three main ways: by using rising intonation, by using 'est-ce que' (literally 'is it that'), or by inversion (swapping the subject and verb). This lesson focuses on questions with the verbs 'être' (to be) and 'faire' (to do), which are essential for everyday conversation. You will learn to ask questions like 'Are you ready?' and 'Do you like tea?' and answer them naturally. We will also cover common mistakes and regional variations.
By the end, you can…
- form yes/no questions with 'être' and 'faire' using intonation, 'est-ce que', and inversion.
- answer yes/no questions naturally with 'oui', 'non', or 'si'.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Tu es prêt ?
Are you ready? (informal)
tew eh preh
Informal, used with friends, family, or peers. Rising intonation at the end.
Est-ce que vous êtes prêt ?
Are you ready? (formal or plural)
ess kuh voo zet preh
Formal or plural. 'Est-ce que' is a common way to ask questions without inversion.
Fais-tu du thé ?
Do you make tea? (literary or formal)
feh tew dew teh
Inversion with 'faire' in a literary or very formal style. In spoken French, 'Est-ce que tu fais du thé ?' is more common.
Est-ce que tu aimes le thé ?
Do you like tea?
ess kuh tew em luh teh
Note: 'aimer' is used for likes, not 'faire'. 'Faire' means 'to make' or 'to do'.
Oui, j'aime le thé.
Yes, I like tea.
wee, zhem luh teh
Simple affirmative answer. 'J'aime' means 'I like'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To form a yes/no question with 'être' or 'faire', you can use three patterns: 1) Intonation: 'Tu es prêt ?' (Are you ready?) – just raise your voice at the end. 2) 'Est-ce que': 'Est-ce que tu es prêt ?' – more standard and works in all registers. 3) Inversion: 'Es-tu prêt ?' – formal or literary. For 'faire': 'Tu fais du thé ?', 'Est-ce que tu fais du thé ?', 'Fais-tu du thé ?'. Note that 'faire' means 'to make/do', so 'Do you like tea?' is 'Est-ce que tu aimes le thé ?' with 'aimer', not 'faire'.
When to use it
Use intonation questions in casual conversation with friends. Use 'est-ce que' in most everyday situations, especially with strangers or in writing. Use inversion in formal writing or polite speech. For answering: 'oui' for yes, 'non' for no, and 'si' to contradict a negative question (e.g., 'Tu n'es pas prêt ?' – 'Si, je suis prêt !'). In Quebec, 'Est-ce que tu es prêt ?' is common, and informal questions often add '-tu' after the verb (e.g., 'Tu viens-tu ?'), a regional variant not standard in France.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Est-ce que tu es prêt ?
Are you ready?ess kuh tew eh prehOui, je suis prêt. Et toi ?
Yes, I am ready. And you?wee, zhuh swee preh. eh twahTu fais du café ?
Are you making coffee?tew feh dew kah-fehNon, je ne fais pas de café. Je fais du thé.
No, I am not making coffee. I am making tea.nohn, zhuh nuh feh pah duh kah-feh. zhuh feh dew tehA little context goes a long way
In French, the choice between intonation, 'est-ce que', and inversion depends on formality and region. In Quebec, informal questions often add '-tu' after the verb (e.g., 'Tu viens-tu ?'), which is not standard in France. Also, answering with just 'oui' or 'non' can sound abrupt; adding a short phrase like 'oui, je suis prêt' is more natural.
One thing to watch for
Using 'faire' to ask 'Do you like tea?' as 'Fais-tu du thé ?'
Try this instead: 'Faire' means 'to make/do', so 'Fais-tu du thé ?' means 'Are you making tea?'. To ask about likes, use 'aimer': 'Est-ce que tu aimes le thé ?' (Do you like tea?).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you ask 'Are you ready?' informally using intonation?
Show a sample answer
Tu es prêt ?
This uses rising intonation with the informal 'tu' form. For a female, use 'prête'. For formal, use 'Est-ce que vous êtes prêt ?'.
2Translate: 'Do you (formal) like tea?'
Show a sample answer
Est-ce que vous aimez le thé ?
Use 'est-ce que' for a standard question, 'vous' for formal, and 'aimer' for likes. Inversion 'Aimez-vous le thé ?' is also correct but more formal.
3What is the correct answer to 'Tu n'es pas prêt ?' if you are ready?
Show a sample answer
Si, je suis prêt.
In French, 'si' is used to contradict a negative question or statement. 'Oui' would be incorrect here.
To ask yes/no questions in French, use intonation for casual talk, 'est-ce que' for standard, and inversion for formal. Remember that 'faire' means 'to make/do', not 'to like'—use 'aimer' for likes. Answer with 'oui', 'non', or 'si' as needed.
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