ELONIO
Log inSign up

Pardon, est-ce que la pharmacie est loin ?

Pardon, est-ce que la pharmacie est loin ?
Excuse me, is the pharmacy far?
From Lesson 33:Question word for location (où)·French

Questions & Answers about Pardon, est-ce que la pharmacie est loin ?

Why doesn't this sentence use the question word où (where)?
Because this is a yes/no question asking if the pharmacy is far, not its exact location. If you wanted to ask where it is, you would use où: Où est la pharmacie ? (Where is the pharmacy?).
What exactly does est-ce que do in this sentence?
Est-ce que is a very common way to turn a normal statement into a yes/no question. The statement is la pharmacie est loin (the pharmacy is far). By putting est-ce que in front, it simply becomes a question. It literally translates to "is it that".
Can I say Excusez-moi instead of Pardon?
Yes, absolutely! Both are polite ways to say "Excuse me" to get a stranger's attention before asking a question. Pardon is just a bit shorter and very common for quick on-the-street questions like asking for directions.
La pharmacie is feminine. Why doesn't loin get an "e" at the end to match?
Because loin (far) is an adverb, not an adjective. It describes the verb (how far it is), not the physical noun itself. In French, adverbs never change their spelling, so loin stays exactly the same whether the subject is masculine, feminine, singular, or plural.

Learn Pardon, est-ce que la pharmacie est loin and more in French

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning French →