.straasha

[unique cobalt]

Please be patient

Our volunteers look into many questions every day; sometimes it takes them a little while to answer.

Pro tip: you can rename the thread title with `.tr <thread name>`

Make it descriptive, including relevant context, but also to the point. This way you improve your chances of getting a more relevant and specific answer.

[storm anvil]

cette phrase est grammaticalement incorrecte

[ionic abyss]

ou je dois dire 'que cela veut dire?' simplement?

[ionic abyss]

pourquoi? nous utilisons par example 'as-tu un chien?' en posant une question

je sais que je peux dire qu'est-ce que ça veut dire? et il n'y a pas d'inversion, oui

mais dans un cas où il n'y a pas 'qu'est-ce'??

[storm anvil]

you can only use inversion with pronouns (je, tu il, elle, on...)
"cela" is not a pronoun, so you can't use inversion instead
if you want to use inversion, you'd have to add a pronoun referencing it back
"que cela veut-il dire ?"

"est-ce que" is an alternative solution, but is not really inversion, it's less formal
"qu'est-ce que cela veut dire ?"

[ionic abyss]

ainsi, 'que cela veut-il dire' est correct?

[storm anvil]

oui

[ionic abyss]

but it doesnt sound natural, does it?

what usually would a french say?

out of these

[storm anvil]

the est-ce que variation absolutely is natural
inversion isn't though

[ionic abyss]

inversion is a book option for a question, i believe?

[storm anvil]

inversion is the formal way to make questions, but is not used colloquially

"ça veut dire quoi ?"
"qu'est-ce que ça veut dire ?"
are two common ways to ask this question (you won't hear "cela" a lot either)

[ionic abyss]

et 'que ça veut dire' n'est pas grammaticalement correct?

its like more of a colloquial phrase?

[storm anvil]

it's not
"que veut dire cela ?" is correct inversion as well, but not colloquial either

[ionic abyss]

merci beacoup à toi, mon ami!!

est-ce que je peux poser des questions à toi parfois? tu es une grande aide