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French Phrase

Tu prends le petit‑déjeuner à quelle heure ?

/ty pʁɑ̃ lə pəti d(ə)ʒœne a kɛl œʁ/
Meaning"What time do you have breakfast?"
💡

Meaning

Literally, “You take breakfast at what time?” It is the informal way to ask someone what time they usually have breakfast.

🎯

When to use

Use this question in casual conversation with friends, family, or classmates when you want to know their morning routine or to arrange a meeting before or after breakfast.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Tuprendslepetit‑déjeuneràquelleheure?

1

Tu (subject pronoun)

The informal second‑person singular pronoun used in everyday conversation.

2

prends (prendre)

Present‑tense conjugation of the verb *prendre* (to take/eat) for *tu*: *prends*.

3

le petit‑déjeuner

A compound noun meaning “breakfast”. It is masculine and written with a hyphen; the article *le* agrees with it.

4

à quelle heure

A fixed interrogative phrase meaning “at what time”. *Quelle* agrees with the feminine noun *heure*.

🗨In Conversation

A

Tu prends le petit‑déjeuner à quelle heure ?

What time do you have breakfast?

Je le prends vers 7h30, et toi ?

I have it around 7:30, and you?

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Tu prends le petit‑déjeuner à quel heure ?

    ‘Heure’ is feminine, so the interrogative adjective must be *quelle*, not *quel*.

  • Tu prends le petit déjeuner à quelle heure ?

    The noun is written with a hyphen (*petit‑déjeuner*) and takes the masculine article *le*.

  • Tu prends le petit‑déjeuner à quelle heure ? (formal written French prefers inversion.)

    When the question is inverted, the verb and subject must be swapped: *À quelle heure prends‑tu…*

↔Alternatives

  • À quelle heure prends‑tu le petit‑déjeuner ?

    At what time do you have breakfast?

  • Quand prends‑tu le petit‑déjeuner ?

    When do you have breakfast?

  • Tu prends le petit‑déjeuner à quelle heure, exactement ?

    What exact time do you have breakfast?

fr

Cultural Tip

In France, breakfast is usually light and taken between 7 am and 9 am. Typical foods include a croissant, tartine (bread with butter or jam), and a café au lait. Asking about breakfast time is a friendly way to start a conversation, but avoid using it in a formal business setting unless you already have a rapport.