Question

Difference between "qui est-ce qui" and
"qui est-ce que" and also between
"qu'est-ce qui" and "qu'est-ce que"


1) who is there - qui est-ce qui est là
2) what is there - qu'est-ce qui est là

3) whom do you see - qui est-ce que tu
vois?
4) what do you see - qu'est-ce que tu
vois?
4a) what do you want - qu'est-ce que tu
veux? Qu'est-ce que tu voudrais?

Are these correct? Thank you!

Answer 1

Let me try a chart here to explain:

who? whom?(persons) what?(things)
________________________________________
subject qui qu'est-ce qui
of verb qui est-ce qui
________________________________________
direct
object
of verb
qui que (qu')
qui est-ce que qu'est-ce que
(qu') (qu')
__________________________________________
direct
object
of verb qui que (qu')
qui est-ce que
(qu')
________________________________________
after a
preposi-
tion qui quoi
________________________________________

EXAMPLES:
Qui le fera?
Who will do it?
Qui est-ce qui le fera?
Who will do it?

Qu'est-ce qui est tombé?
What fell?

Qui cherchez-vous?
Whom are you looking for?
Qui est-ce que vous cherchez?
Whom are you looking for?

Que cherchez-vous?
What are you looking for?
Qu'est-ce que vous cherchez?
What are you looking for?

À qui pensez-vous?
Of whom are you thinking?

À quoi pensez-vous?
Of what are you thinking?

NOTES:
1. As an interrogative pronoun, "qui" may be used (for persons) in all 3 cases: as subject of a verb, as direct object of a verb , and after a preposition.

2. The "e" of "que" is dropped bef ore a word beginning with a vowel; the "i" of "qui" is never dropped.

3. After the direct-object f orms "qui" and "que" the wor d order is inverted; after the long forms, the word order is regular.

You had no difficulty with the sentences.

Sra (aka Mme)

Answer 2

Merci beaucoup!