Asking Someone’s Opinion About What’s Essential or Important
14.1.1. The Main Idea
To ask someone’s opinion about what is important or essential, use expressions such as à ton avis, qu’est-ce que tu penses, and qu’est-ce qui est important.
À ton avis ? | In your opinion? |
À votre avis ? | In your opinion? formal or plural |
Qu’est-ce que tu en penses ? | What do you think about it? |
Qu’est-ce qui est important ? | What is important? |
Qu’est-ce qui est essentiel ? | What is essential? |
14.1.2. Asking for Someone’s Opinion
À ton avis, c’est important ? | In your opinion, is it important? |
À votre avis, c’est essentiel ? | In your opinion, is it essential? formal or plural |
Tu penses que c’est important ? | Do you think it is important? |
Vous pensez que c’est nécessaire ? | Do you think it is necessary? formal or plural |
Qu’est-ce que tu en penses ? | What do you think about it? |
14.1.3. Asking What Is Important
Qu’est-ce qui est important ? | What is important? |
Qu’est-ce qui est essentiel ? | What is essential? |
Qu’est-ce qui est nécessaire ? | What is necessary? |
Qu’est-ce qui est le plus important ? | What is the most important? |
Qu’est-ce qui est le moins important ? | What is the least important? |
Use qu’est-ce qui when what is the subject of the sentence.
14.1.4. Giving an Opinion
À mon avis, c’est important. | In my opinion, it is important. |
Je pense que c’est essentiel. | I think it is essential. |
Je crois que c’est nécessaire. | I believe / think it is necessary. |
Pour moi, c’est très important. | For me, it is very important. |
Selon moi, ce n’est pas essentiel. | In my view, it is not essential. |
14.1.5. Saying What Is Essential
Il est essentiel de dormir. | It is essential to sleep. |
Il est important d’étudier. | It is important to study. |
Il est nécessaire de comprendre. | It is necessary to understand. |
Il faut écouter. | You have to listen. |
Il faut poser des questions. | You have to ask questions. |
This connects with impersonal il:
il est important de + infinitive | it is important to ___ |
il est essentiel de + infinitive | it is essential to ___ |
il faut + infinitive | one must / you have to ___ |
14.1.6. Useful Opinion Words
important | important, masculine |
importante | important, feminine |
essentiel | essential, masculine |
essentielle | essential, feminine |
nécessaire | necessary |
utile | useful |
pratique | practical / convenient |
sérieux | serious, masculine |
sérieuse | serious, feminine |
difficile | difficult |
facile | easy |
14.1.7. Ranking Importance
le plus important | the most important, masculine |
la plus importante | the most important, feminine |
les plus importants | the most important, masculine or mixed plural |
les plus importantes | the most important, feminine plural |
le moins important | the least important, masculine |
la moins importante | the least important, feminine |
plus important que | more important than |
aussi important que | as important as |
moins important que | less important than |
14.1.8. Examples in Context
À ton avis, qu’est-ce qui est le plus important ? | In your opinion, what is the most important? |
Pour moi, la famille est très importante. | For me, family is very important. |
Je pense que la santé est essentielle. | I think health is essential. |
Selon moi, l’argent est utile, mais ce n’est pas le plus important. | In my view, money is useful, but it is not the most important. |
Il est important de travailler, mais il est aussi important de se reposer. | It is important to work, but it is also important to rest. |
14.1.9. Core Patterns
À ton avis ? | In your opinion? |
À mon avis, ___ . | In my opinion, ___. |
Tu penses que ___ ? | Do you think that ___? |
Je pense que ___ . | I think that ___. |
Qu’est-ce qui est important ? | What is important? |
Il est important de + infinitive | It is important to ___. |
Il faut + infinitive | You have to ___. |
14.1.10. Practice
In your opinion? informal | |
In my opinion, it is important. | |
Do you think it is necessary? formal | |
What is essential? | |
What is the most important? | |
I think health is essential. | |
It is important to study. | |
You have to ask questions. |
14.1.11. Answers
In your opinion? informal | À ton avis ? |
In my opinion, it is important. | À mon avis, c’est important. |
Do you think it is necessary? formal | Vous pensez que c’est nécessaire ? |
What is essential? | Qu’est-ce qui est essentiel ? |
What is the most important? | Qu’est-ce qui est le plus important ? |
I think health is essential. | Je pense que la santé est essentielle. |
It is important to study. | Il est important d’étudier. |
You have to ask questions. | Il faut poser des questions. |
14.1.12. Short Dialogue
A : À ton avis, qu’est-ce qui est le plus important ? | A: In your opinion, what is the most important? |
B : Pour moi, la santé est essentielle. Et toi ? | B: For me, health is essential. And you? |
A : Je pense que la famille est très importante. | A: I think family is very important. |
B : Oui, je suis d’accord. Il est aussi important de se reposer. | B: Yes, I agree. It is also important to rest. |
14.1.13. Checkpoint
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to ask for someone’s opinion with à ton avis and qu’est-ce que tu en penses, ask what is important with qu’est-ce qui est important, give opinions with je pense que, je crois que, and selon moi, and use impersonal expressions such as il est important de and il faut.
14.1.14. Try It Out
Try saying this in French:
What do you think about it?
I think it is important.
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Possible answer:
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