French Phrase
Ce soir, c'est moi qui reçois.
Meaning
Literally, “Tonight, it’s me who receives.” The sentence stresses that the speaker, not anyone else, will be the one receiving – whether it’s guests, a gift, or any other thing that can be received.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to highlight that you, and only you, will be the recipient in a given situation. It’s common in informal conversation, especially when making plans or clarifying responsibilities for the evening.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Cesoir,c'estmoiquireçois.
Ce soir
A time expression meaning “this evening” or “tonight”. It is placed at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis.
c'est
The contraction of “ce + est”, used to identify or emphasize a subject. Followed by a disjunctive pronoun (moi, toi, lui…) and a relative clause.
moi (disjunctive pronoun)
Used after “c’est” to stress the person speaking. It is not the subject pronoun “je”.
qui (relative pronoun)
Introduces a relative clause that describes the subject highlighted by “c’est … qui …”. Here it means “who”.
reçois (verb recevoir)
First‑person singular present of “recevoir” (to receive). The verb agrees with the hidden subject “moi”.
c’est … qui … construction
A common French structure to put the focus on the person or thing performing the action.
🗨In Conversation
Ce soir, on va dîner chez moi, non ?
Tonight, we’re having dinner at my place, right?
Oui, mais ce soir, c'est moi qui reçois.
Yes, but tonight, I’m the one who receives.
✕Common Mistakes
Ce soir, c'est je qui reçois.
After “c’est” you must use the disjunctive pronoun (moi, toi, lui…) not the subject pronoun “je”.
Ce soir, c'est moi que reçois.
When the relative pronoun refers to the subject, you use “qui”, not “que”.
Ce soir, c'est moi qui reçoit.
The verb must agree with the hidden subject “moi” (first person singular), so it stays “reçois”.
↔Alternatives
Ce soir, je suis celui qui reçoit.
Tonight, I am the one who receives.
Ce soir, c'est à moi de recevoir.
Tonight, it’s up to me to receive.
Ce soir, je reçois.
Tonight, I receive.
Cultural Tip
The “c’est … qui …” pattern is a staple of spoken French and is often used to claim responsibility, give credit, or simply emphasize who is doing something. It sounds natural in everyday conversation but can feel a bit formal in written prose. Remember that the verb after “qui” always agrees with the hidden subject (here, “moi”), not with “c’est”.