French Phrase
Tu es prêt à commander ?
Meaning
Literally, “Are you ready to order?” It is used to ask someone if they are prepared to place their order, typically in a restaurant or café setting. The tone can be friendly or slightly formal depending on the context.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are the server, a friend, or a family member checking if the other person has decided what they want to order. It works well in casual dining, fast‑food counters, or even when ordering drinks at a bar.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tuesprêtàcommander?
Subject Pronoun (Tu)
‘Tu’ is the informal singular second‑person pronoun used with friends, family, or peers.
Verb ‘être’ (es)
‘es’ is the present‑tense form of ‘être’ for ‘tu’; it links the subject to the adjective.
Adjective Agreement (prêt)
‘prêt’ agrees in gender and number with the subject; for a masculine singular subject it stays ‘prêt’, for feminine it becomes ‘prête’.
Preposition ‘à’ + Infinitive
‘à’ introduces an infinitive that expresses a forthcoming action, similar to ‘to’ in English.
Infinitive ‘commander’
‘commander’ means ‘to order’ (food, drink, etc.) and remains in its infinitive form after ‘à’.
Question Mark Placement
In French, a single question mark is used, but the intonation rises at the end of the sentence.
🗨In Conversation
Tu es prêt à commander ?
Are you ready to order?
Oui, je vais prendre le steak frites, s’il vous plaît.
Yes, I’ll have the steak and fries, please.
✕Common Mistakes
Tu es prête à commander ?
Use ‘prêt’ for a masculine subject (tu) unless you are speaking to a female, then ‘prête’ is correct.
Tu es prêt à commandes ?
Do not conjugate the verb after ‘à’; it must stay in the infinitive.
Tu suis prêt à commander ?
Avoid using ‘suis’ (first person) with ‘tu’; the correct form is ‘es’.
↔Alternatives
Vous êtes prêt à commander ?
Are you ready to order? (formal or plural)
Tu as choisi ?
Have you chosen?
Vous avez décidé ce que vous voulez ?
Have you decided what you want?
Cultural Tip
In France, it’s common for the server to ask this question after giving the menu enough time to be reviewed. Using ‘tu’ signals familiarity; in a restaurant you’ll usually hear ‘vous êtes prêt à commander ?’ with the polite ‘vous’. Also, remember to say ‘s’il vous plaît’ when placing your order to keep the interaction courteous.