French Phrase
Ce siège est libre ?
Meaning
You are asking whether a particular seat is unoccupied or available for you to sit down. It can be used in any context where seats are shared – on a bus, in a theater, at a café, etc.
When to use
Use this phrase when you see a seat you’d like to take but you’re not sure if someone else is saving it, or when you want to be polite and confirm that the seat is indeed free before sitting down.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Cesiègeestlibre?
Ce (demonstrative adjective)
Used to point out a specific noun that is close to the speaker; it agrees in gender and number with the noun.
siège (noun)
Means “seat”; masculine singular, so it takes the masculine form of adjectives.
est (être, 3rd person singular)
The present tense of the verb “to be”; links the subject to a description or state.
libre (adjective)
Means “free” or “available”. When used with a seat it asks whether the seat is unoccupied.
Yes‑no question without inversion
In spoken French you can raise your intonation at the end of a declarative sentence to turn it into a question, as in “Ce siège est libre ?”
Formal inversion
The fully grammatical form is “Ce siège est‑il libre ?” – the pronoun “‑il” is inserted after the verb for written or very formal speech.
🗨In Conversation
Ce siège est libre ?
Is this seat free?
Oui, il est libre. Vous pouvez vous asseoir.
Yes, it’s free. You can sit down.
✕Common Mistakes
C'est siège est libre ?
“C’est” cannot be followed directly by a noun; you need the demonstrative adjective “Ce” before “siège”.
Ce siège libre ?
The verb “être” is required to link the subject and the adjective; dropping “est” makes the sentence ungrammatical.
Ce siège est libre.
A period makes it a statement; to ask a question you need rising intonation in speech or a question mark in writing.
↔Alternatives
Ce siège est‑il libre ?
Is this seat free? (formal inversion)
Ce siège est disponible ?
Is this seat available?
Il y a de la place ici ?
Is there any room here?
Cultural Tip
In French‑speaking countries it’s considered courteous to ask before taking a seat, especially on public transport or in a crowded café. Adding a polite “s’il vous plaît” after the answer (e.g., “Oui, s’il vous plaît, asseyez‑vous”) shows good manners. Also note that the informal spoken form without inversion is perfectly acceptable in everyday conversation, while the inverted form is reserved for formal writing or very polite speech.