French Phrase
Tu manges quoi ce midi ?
Meaning
Literally, “You eat what this noon?” – the informal way to ask someone what they are having for lunch. It’s a friendly, everyday question you’d hear among peers.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual settings – with friends, classmates, coworkers on a break, or anyone you address with ‘tu’. It’s perfect for lunchtime conversations, planning a shared meal, or simply showing interest in what someone is eating.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tumangesquoicemidi?
Subject pronoun (Tu)
‘Tu’ is the informal second‑person singular pronoun used with friends, family, or peers.
Present tense of ‘manger’ (manges)
‘Manger’ is conjugated in the present indicative: je mange, tu manges, il/elle mange…
Interrogative ‘quoi’ after the verb
In spoken French, ‘quoi’ can follow the verb directly (Tu manges quoi ?) to ask a casual question.
Time expression ‘ce midi’
‘Ce midi’ means ‘this noon’ or ‘at lunch’; it is a common way to specify the midday meal.
🗨In Conversation
Tu manges quoi ce midi ?
What are you eating for lunch?
Je vais prendre une salade niçoise, et toi ?
I’m going to have a Niçoise salad, and you?
✕Common Mistakes
Tu manges que ce midi?
‘Que’ is used before the verb (Que manges‑tu ?), not after it in casual speech.
Tu manger quoi ce midi?
The verb must be conjugated to match ‘tu’; ‘manger’ is the infinitive.
Tu manges quoi le midi?
‘Ce midi’ is the correct time expression; ‘le midi’ would change the meaning to ‘at noon’ rather than ‘this noon’.
↔Alternatives
Qu’est‑ce que tu manges ce midi ?
What are you eating for lunch?
Tu vas manger quoi ce midi ?
What are you going to eat for lunch?
Quel est ton repas de midi ?
What is your midday meal?
Cultural Tip
In France, ‘le midi’ is not just a time of day but a cultural moment. Lunch often lasts an hour and can be a multi‑course affair, especially in the provinces. While ‘déjeuner’ is the verb for ‘to have lunch’, many people still say ‘ce midi’ to pinpoint the exact meal. Using ‘quoi’ after the verb is very colloquial; in more formal contexts you’d prefer ‘Qu’est‑ce que…’. Also, be aware that in some regions (e.g., Québec) people might say ‘à midi’ instead of ‘ce midi’.