Question 1

This lesson is about question words like qui, que, and quoi. Why aren't we using any of them here?

Accepted Answer

Those words are used when asking 'Who' or 'What' to get specific information. This sentence is a simple Yes/No question, which in French is very commonly formed by putting the phrase Est-ce que (literally 'is it that') at the very beginning of a normal statement.

Question 2

If I wanted to ask 'Who are you traveling with?' instead, how would I use the rules from this lesson?

Accepted Answer

Using the everyday conversational style you are learning, you would keep the normal sentence order and place the question word at the end. You would drop the Est-ce que and say: Vous voyagez avec qui ? (literally 'You travel with who?').

Question 3

Why do we say à vélo instead of a literal translation like 'par vélo' for 'by bike'?

Accepted Answer

French handles transportation words slightly differently than English. You generally use the preposition à for modes of transport you sit on (like à vélo for a bike or à cheval for a horse). You use the preposition en for vehicles you sit inside (like en voiture for a car or en train for a train).

Question 4

Can vous refer to just one person here, or does it have to be multiple people?

Accepted Answer

It can be either! While vous is the plural 'you' (referring to a group), it is also used as the formal 'you' when speaking respectfully to a single adult you do not know well. The verb voyagez stays exactly the same in both cases.

Est-ce que vous voyagez à vélo avec un ami ?

Breakdown of Est-ce que vous voyagez à vélo avec un ami ?

Questions & Answers about Est-ce que vous voyagez à vélo avec un ami ?

Learn Est-ce que vous voyagez à vélo avec un ami and more in French