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French Phrase

Le hammam marche ?

/lə a.mã maʁʃ/
Meaning"Does the hammam work?"
💡

Meaning

This sentence asks whether the hammam – a traditional steam bath – is currently working, open, or available for use. It’s a quick, informal way to check the status of the facility before you plan a visit.

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When to use

Use it when you’re at a hotel, a spa, or a neighborhood and you want to know if the hammam is operating that day. It’s common in casual conversation among friends or when speaking with staff at a reception desk.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Lehammammarche?

1

Le (definite article)

Masculine singular definite article used before a noun that is known to the listener.

2

hammam (noun)

Masculine noun borrowed from Arabic, referring to a public steam bath; treated as regular -m nouns.

3

marche (verb)

Third‑person singular present of marcher used colloquially to mean “to work / to be operational”.

4

Question mark without inversion

In informal spoken French you can add a rising intonation after a statement to turn it into a yes‑no question, as done here.

🗨In Conversation

A

Le hammam marche ?

Is the hammam open?

Oui, il ouvre à 10 h et ferme à 22 h.

Yes, it opens at 10 am and closes at 10 pm.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Le hammam fonctionne ?

    In formal French you need inversion: “Le hammam fonctionne‑t‑il ?”

  • Le hammam est marche.

    “Est marche” mixes two verbs; use either “marche” alone or “est ouvert”.

  • Le hammam marche‑t‑il ?

    When using “marche” you don’t add “‑t‑il”; the simple intonation question is enough.

↔Alternatives

  • Le hammam est‑il ouvert ?

    Is the hammam open?

  • Le hammam fonctionne‑t‑il ?

    Does the hammam function?

  • Le hammam est en service ?

    Is the hammam in service?

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Cultural Tip

In many French‑speaking regions, especially in North Africa and parts of France, the hammam is not just a place to bathe but also a social hub. Asking “Le hammam marche ?” is perfectly natural in informal settings, but in a more formal context (e.g., speaking to a hotel concierge) you might prefer “Le hammam est‑il ouvert ?” to sound polite. Remember that the word “hammam” is masculine, so adjectives and articles must agree accordingly.