Pense-t-on means`Is it thought'?

Question

Pense-t-on que Caligula était fou?

Cécile Janty-Davies · Accepted Answer

Hi Jan, 
If you take a look at the following lesson on the passive voice, using 'on' is one of the way to avoid  it...
https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/glossary/voice/la-voix-passive-passive-voice.
When you don't know who 'on' refers to -
On dit qu'il est parti sans payer = it is said the he left without paying
On a trouvé une carte d'identité dans le jardin = An identity card has been found in the garden
Hope this helps!

Chris Wirt · Answer

Yes, pense-t-on means "Does one think..."It could also mean "Do we think" but the inverted form of the question, which is used primarily in a higher register of French, clashes with the more colloquial use of on meaning "we".

Jan Hebditch · Answer

So, to make a question, just inflect `On dit/peut dire que Caligula était fou?

Jan Hebditch · Answer

Good point about mixed registers, thanks.