French Phrase
La plupart des invités ont déjà répondu.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘Most of the guests have already responded.’ It is typically used when talking about RSVPs, surveys, or any situation where a group of invitees is expected to give an answer. The use of ‘déjà’ stresses that the response has been given earlier than expected.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to inform someone that the majority of the invited people have already replied, for example in event planning emails, meeting updates, or after a questionnaire has been sent out. It works in both formal and informal contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Laplupartdesinvitésontdéjàrépondu
La plupart de + noun
A quantifier meaning ‘most of’. It is followed by a partitive article (de, des) and the noun, and it triggers a plural verb.
des (partitive article)
Here ‘des’ is the contraction of de + les, used after ‘la plupart’ to introduce a plural noun.
invités (noun)
Plural noun meaning ‘guests’ or ‘invitees’. It agrees with the verb in number.
ont déjà + past participle
The present perfect with ‘déjà’ (already) uses the auxiliary ‘avoir’ + past participle. ‘Déjà’ is placed between the auxiliary and the participle.
répondu (past participle)
Past participle of ‘répondre’. With ‘avoir’, it does not agree with the subject because the direct object precedes the verb.
🗨In Conversation
Les invités ont-ils déjà donné leur réponse ?
Have the guests already given their answer?
Oui, la plupart des invités ont déjà répondu.
Yes, most of the guests have already responded.
✕Common Mistakes
La plupart des invités a déjà répondu.
‘La plupart’ is plural, so the verb must be plural ‘ont’, not singular ‘a’.
La plupart des invités ont répondu déjà.
Placing ‘déjà’ after the past participle is less idiomatic; it should come between the auxiliary and the participle.
La plupart invités ont déjà répondu.
After ‘la plupart’, you need the partitive article ‘des’; omitting it sounds unnatural.
↔Alternatives
La majorité des invités a déjà répondu.
The majority of the guests has already responded.
La plupart des convives ont déjà donné leur réponse.
Most of the diners have already given their answer.
Presque tous les invités ont déjà répondu.
Almost all the guests have already responded.
Cultural Tip
In French‑speaking cultures, replying promptly to an invitation is considered a sign of respect; failing to answer can be interpreted as rudeness. When you send a reminder, it’s polite to acknowledge those who have already replied, using a phrase like this one. In professional settings, you might also add a courteous ‘Merci de votre réponse’ after the statement.