French Phrase
Tu viens dîner avec nous ce soir ?
Meaning
Literally, “Are you coming to eat dinner with us this evening?” It is an informal invitation that uses the present tense of venir to talk about a plan that will happen later the same day.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to invite a friend, a sibling, or a close colleague to share a meal at home or at a restaurant later that night. It is casual, so avoid it in formal business settings unless you have a familiar relationship with the listener.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tuviensdîneravecnouscesoir?
Subject pronoun (Tu)
The informal second‑person singular pronoun used with friends or family.
Present of venir (viens)
‘Venir’ in the present can express a near‑future plan, similar to ‘are you coming…’ in English.
Infinitive after venir (dîner)
When ‘venir’ is followed by an infinitive, the infinitive describes the activity you will do together.
Preposition avec + pronoun (avec nous)
‘Avec’ means ‘with’; it is followed by the object pronoun ‘nous’ (us).
Time expression (ce soir)
‘Ce soir’ means ‘this evening/night’; it places the invitation in the near future.
🗨In Conversation
Tu viens dîner avec nous ce soir ?
Are you coming to have dinner with us tonight?
Oui, avec plaisir ! Vers quelle heure ?
Yes, with pleasure! Around what time?
✕Common Mistakes
Tu vas dîner avec nous ce soir ?
‘Aller + infinitive’ expresses a future intention, but it sounds less like an invitation and more like a statement of your own plan.
Tu viens à dîner avec nous ce soir ?
The preposition ‘à’ is unnecessary after ‘venir’ when the infinitive directly follows; it makes the sentence sound awkward.
Tu viens dîner avec nous ce soir.
Missing the question mark (or intonation) can turn the invitation into a statement, losing the polite request for a response.
↔Alternatives
Tu veux dîner avec nous ce soir ?
Do you want to have dinner with us tonight?
Vous venez dîner chez nous ce soir ?
Are you (plural/formal) coming to dinner at our place tonight?
Ça te dit de dîner avec nous ce soir ?
Do you feel like having dinner with us tonight?
Cultural Tip
In France, dinner is usually served between 8 pm and 10 pm, especially on weekdays. When you receive an invitation like this, it’s polite to confirm the time and, if possible, bring a small contribution (a bottle of wine, dessert, or a bouquet) as a gesture of gratitude. The construction ‘venir + infinitive’ is very common for making plans, so mastering it will make your invitations sound natural.