French Phrase
On mange quoi ce midi ?
Meaning
A casual way to ask what will be eaten for the midday meal. It’s the kind of question you’d hear among friends, family, or coworkers when deciding on lunch plans.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal settings—at home, with classmates, or at the office break‑room. It’s too colloquial for a formal restaurant reservation or a business meeting.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Onmangequoicemidi?
On (impersonal pronoun)
In spoken French, "on" often replaces "nous" and means "we" or a generic "people".
mange (present tense)
Third‑person singular present of the verb *manger*; agrees with the pronoun "on".
quoi (question word after verb)
When a question word follows the verb, French uses the order verb‑question word (e.g., "mange quoi").
ce midi (time expression)
"Ce" is a demonstrative adjective meaning "this"; "midi" refers to the midday meal (lunch).
Punctuation
The question mark indicates a spoken, informal query; no inversion is used.
🗨In Conversation
On mange quoi ce midi ?
What are we having for lunch?
Je pensais à une salade niçoise, ça te va ?
I was thinking of a Niçoise salad, does that work for you?
✕Common Mistakes
Que mangeons‑nous ce midi ?
Correct but overly formal; native speakers rarely use this construction in casual conversation.
On mange quoi à midi ?
Using "à midi" is acceptable, but "ce midi" is more natural when referring to the specific lunch you’re about to have.
On mange quoi ce midi
Missing the question mark (or rising intonation) can make the sentence sound like a statement rather than a question.
↔Alternatives
Qu'est‑ce qu'on mange ce midi ?
What are we eating this noon?
Qu'est‑ce qu'on va manger à midi ?
What are we going to eat at noon?
Quel est le menu pour le déjeuner ?
What’s the menu for lunch?
Cultural Tip
In France, "midi" is more than just a time of day; it’s the main meal of the day, often enjoyed with several courses. Asking "On mange quoi ce midi ?" is a typical way to coordinate meals in a household or among colleagues, reflecting the French habit of sharing food decisions socially.