si (interrogation indirecte)
Whether with Si
In French, si is used to report a question that could be answered with 'yes' or 'no'. It functions like the English 'whether' or 'if' in sentences like 'I don't know if he is coming.'
How It Works
The conjunction si is the standard tool for introducing an indirect yes-no question. It typically follows verbs of communication or thought such as demander (to ask), savoir (to know), or ignorer (to not know).
1. Word Order:
When using si, the sentence follows a declarative structure: si + subject + verb.
Direct: Vient-il ? (Is he coming?)
Indirect: Je me demande s'il vient. (I wonder if he is coming.)
2. Phonology and Elision:
The word si only elides (becomes s') before the pronouns il and ils. It does not elide before elle, on, or any other vowel.
- s'il / s'ils (Correct)
- si elle / si on (Correct - no elision)
3. Tense Usage:
A common myth is that you can never use the future or conditional tenses after si. While this is true for conditional 'if' clauses, it is perfectly acceptable in indirect questions.
- Use the future tense for future actions: Je ne sais pas s'il viendra. (I don't know if he will come.)
- Use the conditional tense for future-in-the-past actions: Il m'a demandé si je viendrais. (He asked me if I would come.)
Examples (6)
- Je me demande s'il pleuvra demain.
I wonder whether it will rain tomorrow.
Word by Word: I me wonder if it will rain tomorrow.
Note the use of the future tense 'pleuvra' after 'si', which is correct for indirect questions.
- Elle m'a demandé si je viendrais à la fête.
She asked me if I would come to the party.
Word by Word: She me has asked if I would come to the party.
When the main verb is in the past, we use the conditional tense ('viendrais') to express a future-in-the-past action after 'si'.
- Elle m'a demandé si j'avais fini mes devoirs.
She asked me if I had finished my homework.
Word by Word: She me has asked if I had finished my homework.
The word order is Subject (j') + Verb (avais fini), not an inversion.
- Dis-moi si elle est déjà partie.
Tell me if she has already left.
Word by Word: Tell me if she is already left.
Notice that 'si' does not elide before 'elle'. Only 'il' and 'ils' cause elision.
- Je ne sais pas si nous pouvons venir.
I don't know whether we can come.
Word by Word: I not know not if we can come.
Here 'si' acts as 'whether', introducing a possibility.
- Il ignore si ses amis viendront à la fête.
He doesn't know if his friends will come to the party.
Word by Word: He ignores if his friends will come to the party.
The verb 'ignorer' (to not know) is a common trigger for this structure.
Common Mistakes
Eliding 'si' before pronouns other than 'il' or 'ils'.
Je ne sais pas s'elle vient.Je ne sais pas si elle vient.In French, 'si' only contracts to 's'' before 'il' or 'ils'. Before 'elle', 'on', or 'un', it remains 'si'.
Using question word order (inversion) after 'si'.
Je me demande si viendra-t-il.Je me demande s'il viendra.Indirect questions are statements, so they must use the standard Subject + Verb order.
Thinking the present is wrong when 'si' means 'whether'.
Different MeaningJe ne sais pas s'il vient demain.Je ne sais pas s'il viendra demain.Both sentences are correct. The present ('vient') is common in speech and sounds like a plan or schedule. The future ('viendra') is a little more careful. Unlike 'si' meaning 'if', 'si' meaning 'whether' can be followed by the future.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'si' in indirect questions, you need to understand how to form basic yes-no questions in French. Since this is a form of reported speech, familiarity with indirect discourse (like 'dire que') is helpful. Additionally, you must apply elision rules when 'si' precedes the pronouns 'il' or 'ils'.
- est-ce queYes-no Questions with Est-ce Que
Understanding how to form basic yes-no questions is essential before learning how to report them indirectly.
Level 1 - dire queReported Statements with Dire Que
This pattern is a form of indirect speech; understanding the structure of reporting statements helps in understanding how to report questions.
Level 3
Related Patterns
- si + Present, FutureReal Future Condition
This is the conditional use of 'si', where the future tense is forbidden in the 'if' clause, unlike indirect questions.
Level 2 - Keeping the question word in reported questions
While yes-no questions use 'si', questions starting with words like 'quand' or 'où' keep those words in the indirect form.
Level 3 - Dropping a vowel before another vowel
Understanding general elision rules helps clarify why the specific 'si' + 'il' rule is an exception to be memorized.
Level 1 - savoir / connaîtreTwo Verbs for to Know: Savoir and Connaitre
The verb 'savoir' is frequently used to introduce indirect questions with 'si'.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice si (interrogation indirecte) in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes French lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
