In French, sentences are classified into three primary types based on their function and punctuation:
- Declarative (Déclarative): Used for statements and information, ending with a period.
- Interrogative (Interrogative): Used for questions, marked by a question mark, and sometimes involve inversion or question words.
- Exclamatory (Exclamatoire): Express strong emotions or reactions, ending with an exclamation mark.
Declarative, Interrogative, and Exclamatory
Declarative Sentences
Declarative sentences (Les phrases déclaratives) are used to express facts, opinions, or information. They are the most common sentence type and always end with a period.
- State facts, opinions, or information.
- Use a standard word order: Subject + Verb + Complement.
- End with a period (.)
Examples:
- Je mange une pomme. (I am eating an apple.)
- Il fait froid aujourd’hui. (It is cold today.)
A period (.)
Declarative Sentence Exercise
Convert these ideas into full declarative sentences in French:
- Marie / study / French
- The cats / sleep / on the sofa
- Tomorrow / be / a holiday
Interrogative Sentences
Interrogative sentences (Les phrases interrogatives) are used to ask questions. French offers several ways to form questions:
- Est-ce que: Est-ce que tu viens? (Are you coming?)
- Inversion: Viens-tu? (Are you coming?)
- Question words: Où, Quand, Pourquoi, Comment, etc. (Where, When, Why, How…)
- Rising intonation (in spoken French): Tu viens? (You’re coming?)
All interrogative sentences end with a question mark (?).
Examples:
- Est-ce que vous partez demain? (Are you leaving tomorrow?)
- Où habites-tu? (Where do you live?)
Est-ce que tu viens?, Viens-tu?, Où habites-tu?
Interrogative Sentence Exercise
Write French questions for these prompts, using “Est-ce que” or a question word:
- Do you eat vegetables?
- Where is the library?
- Are they coming to the party?
Exclamatory Sentences
Exclamatory sentences (Les phrases exclamatives) express strong emotions such as joy, surprise, anger, or admiration. They end with an exclamation mark (!).
- Can be formed with Quel/Quelle + noun + verb, or simply by using an adjective or verb to express emotion.
- Emphasize the emotional tone of the sentence.
Examples:
- Quel beau jardin! (What a beautiful garden!)
- Je suis tellement heureux! (I am so happy!)
- Comme il fait froid! (How cold it is!)
An exclamation mark (!)
Exclamatory Sentence Exercise
Write exclamatory sentences in French expressing these emotions:
- Surprise at a large dog
- Joy about good news
- Admiration for a painting
Conclusion
Declarative, interrogative, and exclamatory sentences each serve unique purposes in French communication, marked by distinct structures and punctuation.
- Declarative sentences provide information and end with a period.
- Interrogative sentences ask questions and use question marks, with various formation methods.
- Exclamatory sentences express strong emotions and end with an exclamation mark.
Understanding these sentence types is essential for effective communication and comprehension in French at any level.