In French, the verbs demander and poser both relate to the concept of "asking," but they are used in distinct ways:
- Demander is about making a request or soliciting something (to ask for).
- Poser is used for putting or asking questions (poser une question = to ask a question).
Usage: Demander
Demander expresses asking for something—a request, a favor, information, permission, etc.
- vous demandez un service → you ask for a favor
- elle demande une augmentation → she asks for a raise
- on demande des informations → people ask for information
Forms of Demander
- Infinitive: demander
- Present: je demande, tu demandes, il/elle demande, nous demandons, vous demandez, ils/elles demandent
- Past participle: demandé (with avoir)
Example Sentences with Demander
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je demande une augmentation. | I am asking for a raise. |
| Peux-tu me demander un service? | Can you ask me for a favor? |
| Ils demandent des explications. | They ask for explanations. |
Usage: Poser
Poser is used when you "put (or place) a question or problem forward." It’s for asking questions or raising issues.
- poser une question → to ask a question
- poser un problème → to raise a problem
- poser une condition → to set a condition
Forms of Poser
- Infinitive: poser
- Present: je pose, tu poses, il/elle pose, nous posons, vous posez, ils/elles posent
- Past participle: posé (with avoir)
Example Sentences with Poser
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Elle pose une question intéressante. | She asks an interesting question. |
| Avez-vous posé le problème au directeur? | Did you raise the problem with the director? |
| Nous posons nos conditions demain. | We will set our conditions tomorrow. |
Summary
| Verb | Meaning/Use | Example (Fr) | Example (En) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demander | To request/ask for something | Je demande un service. | I ask for a service. |
| Poser | To put forward/ask (a question) | Je pose une question. | I ask a question. |
Exercises
- [ ] Write three sentences using demander for different types of requests.
- [ ] Write three sentences using poser for questions and other things you can "put" forward.
- [ ] Explain why you would use demander or poser in this situation: You want to ask your teacher for extra homework vs. You want to ask a question in class.
Understanding when to use demander and poser helps you avoid common mistakes and express yourself more naturally in French.
- Demander is for requests or asking for something.
- Poser is for asking questions or raising issues.
- Use demander for favors and poser for questions!