French Phrase
Tu peux me passer du ketchup ?
Meaning
A friendly, informal way to ask someone to hand you some ketchup. The speaker is asking for a condiment that will be used immediately, typically at the table.
When to use
Use this sentence in casual settings—family meals, a dinner with friends, or when you’re at a restaurant and feel comfortable with the person you’re speaking to. It’s too informal for a formal dining situation or when addressing a stranger you’d address with ‘vous’.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tupeuxmepasserduketchup?
Tu (subject pronoun)
Second‑person singular informal pronoun used as the subject of the verb.
peux (pouvoir)
Present tense of the modal verb pouvoir; agrees with the subject ‘tu’ (2nd person singular).
me (indirect object pronoun)
Pronoun that replaces ‘to me’; placed before the infinitive in a ‘peux + infinitive’ construction.
passer (infinitive)
Infinitive meaning ‘to hand over / to pass’. After a modal verb, the infinitive stays unchanged.
du (partitive article)
Contraction of de + le; used to indicate an unspecified amount of a mass noun (some ketchup).
ketchup (noun, masculine)
Borrowed from English, masculine singular; no article change needed because the partitive ‘du’ already covers it.
🗨In Conversation
Tu peux me passer du ketchup ?
Can you pass me some ketchup?
Bien sûr, voilà.
Sure, here you go.
✕Common Mistakes
Tu passe me du ketchup ?
‘Passe’ is the present indicative of ‘passer’ used with ‘tu’ as a command. In a request you need the modal ‘peux’ + infinitive.
Tu pouvez me passer du ketchup ?
Mixing informal ‘tu’ with formal ‘vous’ creates a register clash. Choose one pronoun throughout the sentence.
Tu peux me passer de ketchup ?
When you want an indefinite amount, use the partitive ‘du’, not the simple preposition ‘de’.
↔Alternatives
Tu pourrais me passer du ketchup ?
Could you pass me some ketchup?
Est‑ce que tu peux me passer du ketchup ?
Could you pass me some ketchup?
Passe‑moi du ketchup, s’il te plaît.
Pass me some ketchup, please.
Cultural Tip
In French households and casual restaurants, it’s common to ask for condiments with ‘passer’ (to hand over). The partitive ‘du’ signals you want an indefinite amount, not the whole bottle. Remember to keep the tone informal (tu) unless you’re speaking to someone you’d address with ‘vous’, in which case you’d say ‘Pouvez‑vous me passer du ketchup ?’.