Types of French Sentences
A must-know before you start your language journey
Sentences are used to express oneself and they can either be questions, exclamations, or statements. We will examine the types of sentences in French in this article.
A sentence in French is called une phrase.
La phrase assertive ou déclarative
These are sentences that assert a particular thought. They are declarative in nature and can be either positive or negative. They end in periods.
Exemple
- J’ai faim. (I am hungry)
- Je ne suis pas content. (I am not happy)
- Ça ne me regarde pas. (It is none of my business)
- Je suis intéressé. (I am interested)
La phrase interrogative
These are questions used to ask about something or someone. They end with a question mark
Note: For French questions, there is always a space between the final word and the question mark
Exemple
- Tu es ici ? (Are you here?)
- Où est Jean ? (Where is Jean?)
- Comment allez vous ? (How are you doing?)
- Pouvez-vous nous aider ? (Can you help us?)
La phrase exclamative
These are exclamations that show surprise, anger, or indignation. They end with exclamation marks although they often times look like declarative sentences.
Note: There is always a space between the last word and the exclamation mark.
Exemple
- J’espère que non ! (I hope not!)
- Ils sont si beaux ! (They are so handsome!)
- C’est une idée fantastique ! (That’s a fantastic idea!)
(Here are some other types of exclamations)
La phrase impérative
These are commands. They are given without a subject. The verbs are also written in a particular conjugation form called the imperative. The verb is either in the singular or plural “you”: tu or vous.
When using the imperative, it can end with an exclamation mark or full stop.
Exemple
- On y va ! (Let’s go)
- Sois patient ! (Be patient)
- Fais les ménages. (Do the cleaning.)
Related Topics
