When do you use qui and que in french when asking questions?

You're asking about a subtle but important distinction in French question formation! Here's the breakdown:

"Qui" vs. "Que" in Questions

* "Qui" (who) is used when asking about the subject of a verb. It essentially asks "Who is doing the action?".

* Examples:

* Qui a mangé la tarte? (Who ate the pie?)

* Qui a appelé ? (Who called?)

* "Que" (what) is used when asking about the object of a verb. It asks "What is being acted upon?".

* Examples:

* Que veux-tu manger? (What do you want to eat?)

* Que regardes-tu? (What are you looking at?)

Here's how to tell the difference:

1. Identify the verb: Find the verb in the question.

2. Ask "Who?" or "What?":

* If you can replace the unknown element with "who" (and the sentence still makes sense), use "qui".

* If you can replace the unknown element with "what", use "que".

Important Notes:

* "Qui" always takes a singular verb form, even if referring to multiple people.

* "Que" often precedes a noun or pronoun.

Let's look at some examples to solidify the concept:

* Qui va au cinéma avec toi ? (Who is going to the cinema with you?) ("Who" is the subject performing the action "going")

* Que veux-tu boire ? (What do you want to drink?) ("What" is the object of the verb "to want")

* Qui est ton ami ? (Who is your friend?) ("Who" is the subject of the verb "is")

* Que penses-tu de ce film ? (What do you think of this film?) ("What" is the object of the verb "to think")

Practice using these guidelines, and you'll soon be asking questions like a native French speaker!