How about inverted questions ?

Anne D.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

How about inverted questions ?

Sorry for a rather niche question, it may be a situation that doesn’t often arise, but I’m wondering where the COD and COI pronouns go in a sentence with subject-verb inversion? (I found a reference to y and en)

Asked 4 months ago
CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

C'est une excellente question Anne qui m'a fait travailler les méninges !!!

Firstly, let's remember that in spoken French, inverted questions are less common and people often use alternative question forms like "est-ce que" or simply raising intonation at the end of a statement. However, inverted questions are still used in formal writing and speech.

The order of object pronouns is normally in the following order -

a. me, te, se, nous, vous (reflexive pronouns)

b. le, la, les (direct object pronouns)

c. lui, leur (indirect object pronouns)

d. y (pronoun for "there" or "to it")

e. en (pronoun for "of it" or "some")

Some examples - 

1. Simple inversion:

 Me le donnez-vous ? = Are you giving it to me?

2. With a reflexive pronoun:

Se le rappelle-t-il ? = Does he remember it?

3. With multiple object pronouns:

 Le lui avez-vous dit ? = Did you tell it to him/her? 

4. With "y" and "en":

 M'y emmèneras-tu ? = Will you take me there?

 Leur en as-tu parlé ? = Did you talk to them about it?

I don't believe that the normal order is any different but I'm pretty sure someone will come up with an example.

Hope this helps!

 

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Cécile,

 I think this is correct too.

Laura’s article attached can , I think, be summarised as the usual position of object pronouns relative to the verb(s) and any negation is maintained, and the usual position/order of object pronouns is also maintained. 

All your examples seem consistent with this to me. 

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/inversion-word-order/

Anne D.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Thanks so much, Cécile and Maarten!

Anne D. asked:

How about inverted questions ?

Sorry for a rather niche question, it may be a situation that doesn’t often arise, but I’m wondering where the COD and COI pronouns go in a sentence with subject-verb inversion? (I found a reference to y and en)

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