French Phrase
Tu me recommandes quoi ?
Meaning
You’re asking someone to suggest something for you – a book, a restaurant, a film, etc. The tone is casual and friendly, suitable for conversations with people you know well.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want a personal recommendation in an informal setting: chatting with a friend, a colleague you’re close with, or a fellow traveler. In a formal context you would switch to ‘vous’ and often use ‘conseiller’ instead of ‘recommander’.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tumerecommandesquoi?
Subject pronoun (Tu)
‘Tu’ is the informal second‑person singular subject pronoun used with friends or peers.
Indirect object pronoun (me)
‘Me’ replaces ‘à moi’ and is placed before the conjugated verb in French.
Verb conjugation (recommander)
‘Recommander’ is a regular -er verb; in the present tense with ‘tu’ it becomes ‘recommandes’.
Interrogative pronoun (quoi)
‘Quoi’ is used after a verb to ask ‘what?’, especially in informal spoken French.
Question intonation
In spoken French the whole sentence rises in pitch at the end, signalling a question without needing inversion.
🗨In Conversation
Tu me recommandes quoi pour le dîner ce soir ?
What do you recommend for dinner tonight?
Je te conseille le restaurant du coin, ils font un excellent risotto.
I’d recommend the local restaurant; they make an excellent risotto.
✕Common Mistakes
Tu me recommandes que ?
‘Que’ is used before a verb; after a verb you need ‘quoi’ for ‘what’. ‘Tu me recommandes que ?’ is ungrammatical.
Tu me recommande quoi ?
The verb must agree with the subject ‘tu’; the correct form is ‘recommandes’.
Vous recommandez quoi ?
If you use ‘vous’, the indirect object pronoun also changes to ‘me’ → ‘vous me recommandez quoi ?’. Forgetting the pronoun makes the sentence sound incomplete.
↔Alternatives
Qu'est-ce que tu me conseilles ?
What do you advise me to do?
Tu as une suggestion pour moi ?
Do you have a suggestion for me?
Quel est ton avis sur… ?
What’s your opinion on…?
Cultural Tip
In French, the level of formality is crucial. ‘Tu’ signals familiarity; if you’re speaking to a stranger, a senior, or in a professional setting, switch to ‘Vous me recommandez quoi ?’ or, more politely, ‘Qu’est‑ce que vous me recommandez ?’. Also, French speakers often prefer ‘conseiller’ for personal advice, while ‘recommander’ can sound a bit more formal or commercial.