French Phrase
Tu fais quoi le week‑end ?
Meaning
Literally, “You do what the weekend?” – in everyday English it translates to “What are you doing this weekend?” It’s a friendly, informal way to ask someone about their weekend plans.
When to use
Use this phrase with friends, classmates, or colleagues you know well. It’s perfect for casual conversation, text messages, or quick spoken exchanges. Avoid it in formal settings or with people you must address politely (e.g., using ‘vous’).
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tufaisquoileweek-end?
Subject pronoun (Tu)
‘Tu’ is the informal second‑person singular pronoun used with friends or peers.
Verb ‘faire’ (fais)
‘Faire’ is conjugated in the present indicative: je fais, tu fais, il/elle fait…
Interrogative ‘quoi’ after the verb
In spoken French, the question word ‘quoi’ can follow the verb directly, creating a very informal tone.
Loanword ‘week‑end’
‘Week‑end’ is a borrowed English term; it keeps the hyphen and is masculine (le week‑end).
No inversion
The sentence skips the formal inversion (fais‑tu) and uses a flat word order, typical of casual speech.
🗨In Conversation
Tu fais quoi le week‑end ?
What are you doing this weekend?
Je vais faire une randonnée avec des amis, et toi ?
I’m going hiking with friends, and you?
✕Common Mistakes
Tu fais quoi le weekend ?
The correct French spelling keeps the hyphen: ‘le week‑end’.
Qu’est‑ce que tu fais le week‑end ?
While grammatically correct, this version sounds slightly more formal; for a truly casual tone keep ‘quoi’ after the verb.
Tu fais quoi le week‑end
Missing the question mark can make the sentence look like a statement rather than a question in written French.
↔Alternatives
Qu'est‑ce que tu fais ce week‑end ?
What are you doing this weekend?
Tu as des projets pour le week‑end ?
Do you have any plans for the weekend?
Quoi de prévu ce week‑end ?
What’s planned for the weekend?
Cultural Tip
In France, weekends are often reserved for meals with family, outings, sport, or cultural events like cinema and concerts. When you ask ‘Tu fais quoi le week‑end ?’, you’re inviting the other person to share personal plans, so be ready to suggest something together if you’re looking to make plans. Note that the hyphen in ‘week‑end’ is the standard spelling, though you’ll sometimes see ‘le weekend’ in informal writing.