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How do I use COD and COI properly when asking questions in French? episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 26, 2022

How do I use COD and COI properly when asking questions in French?

from Polly Lingual · host Elise Nantois

Let me explain you first the easy difference to recognize COD which means DIRECT Object Complement and COI, INDIRECT Object Complement, in a question. As the COD is DIRECT, this means that there is NO other word around the OBJECT that COMPLEMENTS the sentence. So in a question, it is the same, and the only words that belongs to a COD in a question are : QUI, QUOI, QUEL(S), QUELLE(S). Whereas in a COI question, you find other words, called « PREpositions » JUST BEFORE the words above, like A qui, A quoi, POUR qui, POUR quoi, CONTRE qui, CONTRE quoi, PAR qui, PAR quoi, DANS qui, DANS quoi, DE qui, DE quoi, SUR quoi, SUR qui, SANS quoi, SANS qui, AVEC quoi, AVEC qui, and so on... Remember that to recognise a COD, you have to use an ACTION VERB in the sentence, like -« what do you read ? » translated « QU'est-ce que tu lis ? » or « tu lis QUOI ? » or « QUE lis-tu ? » -« what film are you watching ? » : « QUEL film est-ce que vous regardez ? » or « QUEL film vous regardez ? » or « vous regardez QUEL film ? » and more formally « Quel film regardez-vous ? » -« who will he see tomorrow ? » « QUI est-ce qu'il va voir demain ? » or « il va voir QUI demain ? » or « QUI va-t-il voir demain? » In a COI sentence or question, the preposition is ALWAYS JUST BEFORE WHO 'QUI' or WHAT 'QUOI'. For example -« Who does this car belong to ? » : « A QUI appartient cette voiture ? » or « Elle appartient A QUI cette voiture ? » or « cette voiture appartient A QUI ? » « What are you working on these days ? » : « SUR QUOI est-ce que tu travailles ces jours-ci ? » or "SUR QUOI travailles-tu ces jours-ci ?" « Who is the message coming from ? » « DE QUI vient le message ? » or "le message vient DE QUI ?" The way you put the words in the sentence depends on the formality of the context but remember that the Indirect complement has always the two words STUCK. I hope it will help you in your learning process ! Other way, don't hesitate to ask me more details or explanations. Anyway, thank you for listening.

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