Reporting Yes/No Questions (si)
si to turn direct yes/no questions into statements, remembering to contract it only before il or ils.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
When reporting a Yes/No question, replace 'est-ce que' with 'si' to link the main clause to the reported question.
- Use 'si' instead of 'est-ce que' for yes/no questions: Il demande si tu viens.
- Maintain the original tense sequence: Il a demandé si tu viendrais.
- Avoid inversion in the reported clause: Use subject-verb order, not verb-subject.
Overview
Reporting what someone else said or asked is a fundamental aspect of natural communication in any language. In French, when you need to convey a 'Yes/No' question asked by another person without directly quoting them, you utilize the conjunction si. This structure transforms a direct question into an indirect question, functioning as a subordinate clause within a larger declarative sentence.
Essentially, si in this context acts as the French equivalent of 'if' or 'whether' when introducing such a question.
This grammatical construction is crucial for achieving fluency and sophistication in French. It allows you to integrate questions seamlessly into your discourse, moving beyond mere repetition of direct speech. The ability to report questions efficiently reflects a higher level of linguistic command, enabling more complex narrative and informational exchanges.
Mastering si for reported questions at the B1 level signifies your progression towards more nuanced and contextualized communication, moving from simply relaying information to interpreting and integrating it into your own narrative.
Linguistically, this transformation serves to embed an interrogative clause into a declarative matrix sentence. The direct question, with its distinct interrogative syntax (e.g., inversion or est-ce que), loses its independent status and adapts to the structure of the main clause. Si acts as the necessary subordinator, indicating the embedded clause is indeed an indirect question, while simultaneously marking the transition from an interrogative mood to a declarative statement about an inquiry.
This shift maintains the semantic content of the original question but alters its syntactic form to fit the reporting context.
How This Grammar Works
si. The primary goal is to change an interrogative sentence into a declarative subordinate clause while preserving its questioning intent. This involves adjustments to word order, the removal of interrogative markers, and often, shifts in pronouns.Es-tu fatigué ? (Are you tired?). To report this, you first need a reporting verb in the main clause, such as demander (to ask) or vouloir savoir (to want to know). For instance, Il demande... (He asks...).si. The crucial change is that the word order within the reported question reverts to that of a standard declarative sentence: Subject + Verb. All original interrogative elements, like est-ce que or verb-subject inversion, are removed.Es-tu fatigué ? becomes Il demande si tu es fatigué. Notice the shift: tu (subject) now precedes es (verb). The question mark also disappears, replaced by a period, because the entire structure is now a statement about a question, not a question itself. This normalization of word order is fundamental to indirect speech in French.est-ce que. Direct question: Est-ce qu'elle vient ? (Is she coming?). When reported, est-ce que is removed entirely.si is inserted. So, Il veut savoir si elle vient. (He wants to know if she is coming.). The change from a direct interrogative to an indirect subordinate clause through si is a core mechanism for linguistic economy and clarity in French reporting.Formation Pattern
si involves a systematic transformation of the direct question. This process ensures grammatical coherence and logical flow within the new declarative sentence structure. Follow these precise steps to construct it correctly:
demander (to ask), vouloir savoir (to want to know), s'interroger (to wonder), se demander (to ask oneself/to wonder), vérifier (to check), savoir (to know – often in the negative: ne pas savoir).
Elle demande... (She asks...)
Je veux savoir... (I want to know...)
Nous nous demandons... (We wonder...)
est-ce que and verb-subject inversion – must be eliminated. These markers signal a direct question and are incompatible with the subordinate clause structure of indirect speech. The direct question's internal word order will be rearranged.
Est-ce que tu as faim ? → Remove est-ce que.
As-tu faim ? → Remove inversion (as-tu).
si: Place si immediately after the reporting verb (and its object, if present). This si serves as the crucial link, signaling that a 'Yes/No' question is being reported.
Il me demande si... (He asks me if...)
Je ne sais pas si... (I don't know if...)
si with il or ils: This is a mandatory euphonic contraction. When si is followed directly by the masculine singular subject pronoun il or the masculine plural subject pronoun ils, si becomes s'. This avoids the awkward meeting of two vowel sounds (hiatus).
Si + il becomes s'il (Il demande s'il vient.).
Si + ils becomes s'ils (Elle veut savoir s'ils sont prêts.).
si does not contract with elle or elles. It remains si elle and si elles because there is no vowel clash. (e.g., Il demande si elle est là.). Similarly, si does not contract with on, on being a semivowel sound. (e.g., Je me demande si on peut y aller.).
Viens-tu ? → tu viens
Est-ce que vous avez terminé ? → vous avez terminé
Est-ce que tu es libre ? (Are you free?)
Il demande si je suis libre. (He asks if I am free.)
Est-ce que vos enfants sont là ? (Are your children here?)
Elle demande si ses enfants sont là. (She asks if her children are here.)
il demande), the verb in the reported clause generally remains in the same tense as the original direct question. More advanced levels (B2/C1) will introduce concordance des temps (sequence of tenses), where a past tense reporting verb often triggers a tense shift in the reported clause. For B1, simplify by keeping the tense consistent for the time being.
si Conversion | Indirect Question (Example) | Translation |
Tu es prêt ? | Il me demande | si | Il me demande si je suis prêt. | He asks me if I am ready. |
Elle vient ? | Je te demande | si | Je te demande si elle vient. | I ask you if she is coming. |
Est-ce qu'il pleut ? | Nous nous demandons | s'il | Nous nous demandons s'il pleut. | We wonder if it's raining. |
Elles ont faim ? | Vous voulez savoir | si elles | Vous voulez savoir si elles ont faim. | You want to know if they are hungry. |
Est-ce que vous êtes libres ? | Elle demande | si | Elle demande si vous êtes libres. | She asks if you are free. |
When To Use It
si is an indispensable tool in various communicative situations, enabling you to relay information, express uncertainty, or even soften requests. Its utility extends across informal conversations, professional exchanges, and narrative contexts.3. Structure of Indirect Yes/No Questions
| Reporting Verb | Conjunction | Subject | Verb |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Il demande
|
si
|
tu
|
viens
|
|
Elle veut savoir
|
si
|
nous
|
avons faim
|
|
Je me demande
|
s'
|
il
|
est prêt
|
|
Ils ont demandé
|
si
|
vous
|
étiez là
|
|
Elle a vérifié
|
si
|
tout
|
était prêt
|
|
Il se demande
|
s'
|
ils
|
viennent
|
Elision Rules
| Full form | Elided form | Context |
|---|---|---|
|
si il
|
s'il
|
Before 'il'
|
|
si ils
|
s'ils
|
Before 'ils'
|
Meanings
This rule allows you to report a question that originally required a 'yes' or 'no' answer. It acts as a bridge between the reporting verb and the content of the question.
Standard reporting
Reporting a simple yes/no inquiry.
“Il demande si tu es prêt.”
“Elle veut savoir si le train est parti.”
Polite indirect inquiry
Softening a direct question by turning it into an indirect statement.
“Pourriez-vous me dire si le magasin est ouvert ?”
“Je voudrais savoir si vous avez reçu mon mail.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Verb + si + S + V
|
Il demande si tu viens.
|
|
Negative
|
Verb + si + S + ne + V + pas
|
Il demande si tu ne viens pas.
|
|
Past Tense
|
Verb + si + S + V(past)
|
Il a demandé si tu étais venu.
|
|
Conditional
|
Verb + si + S + V(cond)
|
Il a demandé si tu viendrais.
|
|
Elision
|
Verb + s' + il/ils
|
Il demande s'il vient.
|
|
Polite
|
Vouloir savoir + si
|
Je voudrais savoir si c'est possible.
|
Formality Spectrum
Pourriez-vous me dire s'il vient ? (Social plans)
Il demande s'il vient. (Social plans)
Il demande s'il vient. (Social plans)
Il demande s'il rapplique. (Social plans)
Indirect Question Flow
Trigger
- demander to ask
- savoir to know
Connector
- si if/whether
Structure
- S + V Subject + Verb
Direct vs Indirect
Decision Process
Is it a Yes/No question?
Examples by Level
Il demande si tu es là.
He asks if you are there.
Elle demande si c'est bon.
She asks if it is good.
Je demande si tu viens.
I ask if you are coming.
Il demande s'il est prêt.
He asks if he is ready.
Tu sais si le bus arrive ?
Do you know if the bus is arriving?
Il veut savoir si tu as faim.
He wants to know if you are hungry.
Je me demande si c'est vrai.
I wonder if it is true.
Elle demande s'ils sont contents.
She asks if they are happy.
Il m'a demandé si je pouvais l'aider.
He asked me if I could help him.
Pourriez-vous me dire si ce train est direct ?
Could you tell me if this train is direct?
Je me demandais si vous étiez disponible demain.
I was wondering if you were available tomorrow.
Il voulait savoir s'il fallait apporter un cadeau.
He wanted to know if it was necessary to bring a gift.
Elle s'est enquise de savoir si nous avions bien reçu le dossier.
She inquired whether we had received the file.
Il a demandé si, par hasard, j'avais vu ses clés.
He asked if, by chance, I had seen his keys.
Je me suis demandé si cette décision était la bonne.
I wondered if this decision was the right one.
Elle a vérifié si tout était en ordre.
She checked if everything was in order.
Il a cherché à savoir si la proposition serait acceptée.
He sought to know if the proposal would be accepted.
Je me questionnais sur le fait de savoir si cela valait la peine.
I was questioning whether it was worth the effort.
Elle a demandé si, compte tenu des circonstances, nous devions partir.
She asked if, given the circumstances, we should leave.
Il a sondé l'assemblée pour voir s'il y avait des objections.
He probed the assembly to see if there were any objections.
Il restait à déterminer si, effectivement, la mesure serait appliquée.
It remained to be determined if, indeed, the measure would be applied.
Elle s'interrogeait sur la pertinence de savoir si le projet était viable.
She wondered about the relevance of knowing if the project was viable.
Il a fallu vérifier si, nonobstant les délais, la livraison était possible.
It was necessary to verify if, notwithstanding the delays, delivery was possible.
Elle a demandé si, par extraordinaire, nous avions une solution.
She asked if, by some extraordinary chance, we had a solution.
Easily Confused
Learners mix up 'si' (for questions) and 'que' (for statements).
Learners use 'si' for all questions.
Learners keep 'est-ce que' in indirect speech.
Common Mistakes
Il demande est-ce qu'il vient.
Il demande s'il vient.
Il demande si vient-il.
Il demande s'il vient.
Il demande si il vient.
Il demande s'il vient.
Il demande si est-ce qu'il vient.
Il demande s'il vient.
Il a demandé si il viendra.
Il a demandé s'il viendrait.
Il demande si est-ce que tu as faim.
Il demande si tu as faim.
Il demande si tu es-tu prêt.
Il demande si tu es prêt.
Il a demandé si tu as été là.
Il a demandé si tu avais été là.
Je me demande si est-ce que c'est vrai.
Je me demande si c'est vrai.
Il demande si il a faim.
Il demande s'il a faim.
Il a demandé si, par hasard, est-ce que tu savais.
Il a demandé si, par hasard, tu savais.
Il s'est enquis si est-ce que nous avions fini.
Il s'est enquis de savoir si nous avions fini.
Il a demandé si il aurait pu venir.
Il a demandé s'il aurait pu venir.
Sentence Patterns
Il demande si ___ ___.
Je me demande si ___ ___ ___.
Pourriez-vous me dire si ___ ___ ___ ___?
Il a voulu savoir si ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.
Real World Usage
Tu sais si Marc vient ?
Je voulais savoir si le poste est toujours disponible.
Pouvez-vous me dire si ce bus va au centre-ville ?
Je demande si la livraison est incluse.
Quelqu'un sait si c'est vrai ?
Je vous écris pour savoir si vous avez reçu mon mail.
Watch the elision
No est-ce que
Use conditional for politeness
Indirect is better
Smart Tips
Remember to shift the tense of the reported verb.
Always elide 'si' to 's'' to avoid the awkward vowel sound.
Use 'je voudrais savoir si...' instead of a direct question.
If you can answer with 'yes' or 'no', use 'si'. Otherwise, use 'ce que' or 'qui'.
Pronunciation
Elision
The 'i' in 'si' is dropped before 'il' and 'ils'.
Declarative
Il demande si tu viens ↘
The sentence ends with a falling tone because it is a statement.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Si is the key to the Yes/No door.
Visual Association
Imagine a bridge labeled 'SI' connecting two islands: the 'Reporting Island' and the 'Question Island'. You must walk across the bridge to get from one to the other.
Rhyme
When you report a yes or no, use 'si' and let it flow.
Story
Marc asked, 'Are you hungry?' I wanted to report this to his mom. I used 'si' to bridge the gap. 'Marc demande si tu as faim,' I said. She understood perfectly.
Word Web
Challenge
Write down 5 questions you were asked today and convert them into indirect questions using 'si'.
Cultural Notes
Indirect questions are preferred in professional settings to avoid sounding too direct or aggressive.
Similar usage, but often more informal in spoken language.
Standard usage, very polite.
The word 'si' comes from Latin 'sic', which originally meant 'so' or 'thus'.
Conversation Starters
Tu sais si le restaurant est ouvert ?
Il t'a demandé si tu étais libre ?
Je me demande si ce film est bien.
Pourriez-vous me dire si ce bus va à la gare ?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Il demande ___ il vient.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Il demande si il est prêt.
Direct: 'Est-ce qu'il pleut ?'
Can you use 'est-ce que' after 'si'?
A: Est-ce qu'il vient ? B: Il demande ___.
demande / si / il / vient / Il
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesIl demande ___ il vient.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Il demande si il est prêt.
Direct: 'Est-ce qu'il pleut ?'
Can you use 'est-ce que' after 'si'?
A: Est-ce qu'il vient ? B: Il demande ___.
demande / si / il / vient / Il
Est-ce qu'il est là ?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesElle demande ___ tu as fini tes devoirs.
He asks if they (masc) are ready.
demande / il / viens / si / tu
Reporting: 'Avez-vous faim ?'
Match them up!
Je demande s'elle veut un café.
Dis-moi ___ on part bientôt.
Direct: 'Sont-ils ensemble ?'
I wonder if you like the music.
Il demande si est-ce qu'on commence.
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
No, only for yes/no questions. For 'what' questions, use 'ce que'.
French requires elision before 'il' and 'ils' to avoid the hiatus of two vowels.
Yes, it is often preferred in professional and polite contexts.
You must shift the tense of the verb in the 'si' clause to match the sequence of tenses.
No, 'si' is strictly for yes/no questions.
Yes, in this context, it functions exactly like 'if' or 'whether'.
Keeping 'est-ce que' or inversion in the reported clause.
Yes, you can ask 'Tu sais si...?'
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
si
Spanish allows more flexibility with word order in some contexts.
ob
German word order is strictly verb-final in subordinate clauses.
if/whether
English does not have the elision rule (s'il).
ka
Japanese does not use a conjunction like 'si' at the start of the clause.
hal
Arabic interrogative markers are often prefixes or particles.
ma
Chinese does not use subordinate conjunctions in the same way.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
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