French Phrase
Comment s'est passée ton après-midi ?
Meaning
This phrase is a common way to ask someone how their afternoon went. It uses the reflexive verb 'se passer', meaning 'to happen' or 'to go', in the passé composé tense to inquire about a completed period of time.
When to use
Use this phrase when greeting a friend, family member, or colleague in the late afternoon or evening. It is a friendly way to show interest in their recent activities.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Comments'est passéetonaprès-midi
Se passer
A reflexive verb used to describe how events or time periods unfold.
Passé Composé
The construction 's'est passée' uses the auxiliary 'être' because the verb is reflexive.
🗨In Conversation
Salut ! Comment s'est passée ton après-midi ?
Hi! How was your afternoon?
C'était tranquille, j'ai fait une petite sieste.
It was quiet, I took a short nap.
✕Common Mistakes
Comment était ton après-midi ?
While grammatically possible, 's'est passée' is the more natural idiomatic choice for asking how a time period went.
Comment s'est passé ton après-midi ?
Because 'après-midi' is treated as feminine here, the past participle 'passée' should agree with it.
↔Alternatives
Ça s'est bien passé ?
Did it go well?
Tu as passé une bonne après-midi ?
Did you have a good afternoon?
Cultural Tip
In France, 'après-midi' is uniquely both masculine and feminine. While you can say 'un après-midi', the feminine form 'une après-midi' is very common when focusing on the duration or the quality of the time spent.