French Phrase
Tous les appareils de la cuisine fonctionnent ?
Meaning
This phrase is a direct question asking if all the electrical or mechanical devices in the kitchen are in working order. It's a straightforward way to inquire about the functionality of multiple items at once. It implies a check or a concern about their operational status.
When to use
You would use this phrase when moving into a new place, checking on a rental property, or after a power outage or repair. It's also useful when troubleshooting an issue or simply confirming everything is operational before a big event like a dinner party.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Touslesappareilsdelacuisinefonctionnent?
Tous (all)
'Tous' is a masculine plural adjective meaning 'all'. It agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies, 'appareils'.
les appareils (the appliances)
'Appareils' is a masculine plural noun. 'Les' is the definite article for masculine plural nouns. Note the liaison between 'les' and 'appareils' (lez-appareils).
de la cuisine (of the kitchen)
'De la' is a prepositional phrase indicating possession or origin. 'De' combines with the feminine singular definite article 'la' because 'cuisine' is feminine.
fonctionnent (work/are working)
'Fonctionnent' is the third-person plural conjugation of the verb 'fonctionner' (to work, to function). It agrees with the plural subject 'Tous les appareils'.
🗨In Conversation
Nous avons enfin emménagé ! Tous les appareils de la cuisine fonctionnent ?
We finally moved in! Are all the kitchen appliances working?
Oui, j'ai tout testé ce matin, ils fonctionnent parfaitement.
Yes, I tested everything this morning, they work perfectly.
✕Common Mistakes
Tous les appareils de cuisine fonctionnent ?
When 'cuisine' specifies the type of 'appareils', it needs the definite article 'la' after 'de' to form 'de la cuisine'.
Tous les appareils de la cuisine fonctionne ?
The verb 'fonctionner' must agree with the plural subject 'Tous les appareils', so it should be 'fonctionnent'.
Tous les appareils de la cuisine marchent ?
While 'marcher' can mean 'to work' for machines, 'fonctionner' is generally preferred and more precise for appliances and systems.
↔Alternatives
Est-ce que tous les appareils de la cuisine marchent bien ?
Do all the kitchen appliances work well?
Les appareils de la cuisine sont-ils tous en état de marche ?
Are all the kitchen appliances in working order?
Tout fonctionne dans la cuisine ?
Does everything in the kitchen work?
Cultural Tip
In French culture, especially when dealing with rentals or new purchases, it's common to be quite direct in asking about the functionality of items. There's less emphasis on softening the question with elaborate politeness, though a polite tone is always appreciated. Ensuring appliances work is a practical concern, and this phrase is perfectly acceptable in most contexts.