French Phrase
Tu captes le Wi‑Fi ?
Meaning
Literally, ‘Do you pick up the Wi‑Fi?’, i.e., ‘Are you getting a Wi‑Fi signal?’ It’s an informal way to ask if someone’s device is connected or if the signal reaches them.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual conversation with friends, family, or coworkers when you’re checking whether the Wi‑Fi works in a particular spot—e.g., in a café, at home, or in a meeting room.
✦Grammar Breakdown
TucaptesleWi‑Fi?
Subject pronoun (Tu)
‘Tu’ is the informal singular ‘you’, used with friends or family.
Verb ‘capter’ (present, 2nd person singular)
‘Capter’ means ‘to pick up/receive a signal’; in the present tense the ending –es is pronounced /t/ and links to the following vowel (liaison).
Definite article ‘le’
‘Le’ refers to a specific thing—in this case the Wi‑Fi network that both speakers know about.
Borrowed noun ‘Wi‑Fi’
‘Wi‑Fi’ is an English loanword, written with a capital W and a hyphen; it behaves like a masculine noun in French.
🗨In Conversation
Tu captes le Wi‑Fi ?
Do you get the Wi‑Fi?
Oui, mais le signal est un peu faible ici.
Yes, but the signal is a bit weak here.
✕Common Mistakes
Tu capte le Wi‑Fi ?
The verb must agree with the subject ‘tu’, so the ending –s is required (captes).
Tu captes le wifi ?
‘Wi‑Fi’ keeps its English spelling and hyphen; writing it in lowercase loses the standard form.
Tu reçois le Wi‑Fi ?
‘Recevoir’ is grammatically correct but sounds unnatural for a signal; native speakers prefer ‘capter’ or ‘avoir le signal’.
↔Alternatives
Tu as le signal Wi‑Fi ?
Do you have the Wi‑Fi signal?
Tu te connectes au Wi‑Fi ?
Are you connecting to the Wi‑Fi?
Est‑ce que tu captes le Wi‑Fi ?
Are you picking up the Wi‑Fi?
Tu reçois le Wi‑Fi ?
Are you receiving the Wi‑Fi?
Cultural Tip
‘Capter’ is a colloquial verb used mainly for radio, TV or internet signals. In formal writing you would say ‘recevoir le signal Wi‑Fi’ or ‘avoir accès au Wi‑Fi’. Also, French speakers often drop the article and say simply ‘Tu captes le Wi‑Fi ?’ rather than ‘le signal du Wi‑Fi’. The phrase is common among younger people and in tech‑savvy circles.