French Phrase
On a une sélection de thés.
Meaning
Literally, ‘We have a selection of teas.’ In everyday French it can also be understood as ‘There is a selection of teas.’ It’s a handy way to tell a customer that a variety of teas is available.
When to use
Use this sentence in cafés, restaurants, tea shops, or any hospitality setting when you want to highlight the range of teas you offer. It works equally well in written menus and spoken greetings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Onaunesélectiondethés
On (impersonal pronoun)
‘On’ is an indefinite pronoun that can mean ‘we’, ‘one’, or ‘people in general’, and it takes a third‑person singular verb.
a (avoir, 3rd sg.)
The verb ‘avoir’ is conjugated as ‘a’ for the third‑person singular (il/elle/on a).
une sélection (feminine noun)
‘Sélection’ is a feminine noun, so it takes the article ‘une’.
de + plural noun
After a noun that expresses a quantity or a collection (like ‘sélection’), French uses ‘de’ + plural noun, not the partitive ‘des’.
thés (plural with accent)
The plural of ‘thé’ adds an ‘s’; the accent aigu stays on the ‘e’ (thés).
🗨In Conversation
Bonjour, je cherche un thé pour l’après‑midi.
Hello, I’m looking for a tea for the afternoon.
On a une sélection de thés : vert, noir, blanc et des tisanes.
We have a selection of teas: green, black, white and herbal infusions.
✕Common Mistakes
On a une sélection des thés.
After ‘sélection’, French uses ‘de’ + plural noun, not the partitive ‘des’.
On ont une sélection de thés.
‘On’ always takes a third‑person singular verb, so the correct form is ‘a’, not ‘ont’.
On a une sélection de thé.
‘Thé’ must be plural because you’re referring to multiple kinds of tea.
↔Alternatives
Nous avons une sélection de thés.
We have a selection of teas.
Il y a une sélection de thés.
There is a selection of teas.
Nous proposons une sélection de thés.
We offer a selection of teas.
Cultural Tip
In France, tea is often served after a meal or in a ‘salon de thé’ (tea room). While coffee dominates café culture, many upscale bistros now showcase a curated list of teas—from classic Earl Grey to regional herbal blends like tilleul or verveine. Mentioning a ‘sélection de thés’ signals a refined, attentive service and can be a conversation starter about French tea‑time customs.