French grammar: les pronoms interrogatifs simples (qui, que, quoi)

What this grammar point covers

Simple interrogative pronouns in French (qui, que, quoi) are words used to ask questions about people or things.

When to use it

Use these pronouns to ask who did something, who someone is, or what something is. Use 'qui' for people, 'que' for things (at the beginning of a question), and 'quoi' for things (after a preposition or at the end).

Key forms

• Qui : used to ask about a person (subject or object)
• Que : used to ask about a thing (object)
• Quoi : used to ask about a thing, usually after a preposition or at the end of a question

Examples

Tips

• Use 'qui' only for people, not for things.
• Use 'que' at the beginning of a question, not at the end.
• 'Quoi' usually comes after a preposition or at the end of a question.

Exceptions and edge cases

• 'Que' becomes 'qu'' before a vowel or silent 'h' (e.g., Qu'est-ce que...).