French Phrase
On a des devoirs pour ce soir ?
Meaning
The sentence asks whether there is any homework that needs to be done before the end of the day. It is a casual way to check the evening’s school workload.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal conversations with classmates, friends, or family when you want to confirm the amount of homework due tonight. It’s common in middle‑school and high‑school settings, as well as among adult learners discussing language‑learning assignments.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Onadesdevoirspourcesoir?
On (impersonal 'we')
In spoken French, 'on' is often used instead of 'nous' to mean 'we' or an indefinite subject.
Avoir (present tense)
The verb 'avoir' is conjugated as 'a' for the third‑person singular subject 'on'.
Des (indefinite plural article)
‘Des’ is the plural form of the indefinite article, used before a plural noun when the quantity is not specified.
Devoirs (noun)
‘Devoirs’ means ‘homework’; it is a masculine plural noun.
Pour + time expression
‘Pour ce soir’ indicates a deadline or a time reference meaning ‘for tonight’.
Question intonation
When spoken, the sentence ends with a rising intonation; written French can add a question mark or use ‘Est‑ce que…’.
🗨In Conversation
On a des devoirs pour ce soir ?
Do we have any homework for tonight?
Oui, le prof a donné un exercice de maths et un texte à lire.
Yes, the teacher gave a math exercise and a text to read.
✕Common Mistakes
On avons des devoirs pour ce soir ?
‘On’ takes the third‑person singular verb form, not the first‑person plural ‘avons’. Use ‘a’ instead.
On a du devoirs pour ce soir ?
‘Du’ is singular; the noun ‘devoirs’ is plural, so the correct article is ‘des’.
On a des devoirs pour c’est soir ?
The phrase should be ‘ce soir’ (this evening). ‘c’est soir’ is a spelling error.
↔Alternatives
Est‑ce qu’on a des devoirs pour ce soir ?
Do we have any homework for tonight?
Y a‑t‑il des devoirs pour ce soir ?
Is there homework for tonight?
Nous avons des devoirs pour ce soir ?
Do we have homework for tonight?
Cultural Tip
In French schools, homework (les devoirs) is usually assigned daily and is expected to be completed before the next class. Using ‘on’ instead of ‘nous’ makes the question sound more natural and informal, which is typical among students. If you’re speaking to a teacher, switch to the more formal ‘nous’ or use ‘Est‑ce que…’ to show respect.