French Phrase
On dîne à quelle heure ?
Meaning
This is a common, informal way to ask when the evening meal will be served. It uses the pronoun 'on' which functions as a casual 'we' in everyday spoken French.
When to use
Use this phrase with friends, family, or your host when you are staying at someone's home. It is perfect for casual settings where you need to coordinate plans for the evening.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ondîneà quelle heure
On
In spoken French, 'on' almost always replaces 'nous' to mean 'we', though it takes a third-person singular verb conjugation.
Dîne
The verb 'dîner' means to have dinner. In the present tense for 'on', it ends in -e.
À quelle heure
This is the standard construction for 'at what time'. 'Quelle' agrees with the feminine noun 'heure'.
🗨In Conversation
On dîne à quelle heure ce soir ?
What time are we having dinner tonight?
Vers vingt heures, une fois que tout le monde sera là.
Around 8 PM, once everyone is here.
✕Common Mistakes
À quel heure on dîne ?
'Heure' is a feminine noun, so the adjective 'quelle' must also be feminine.
Nous dînons à quelle heure ?
While grammatically correct, using 'nous' in this context sounds overly formal for a casual dinner question.
↔Alternatives
On mange à quelle heure ?
What time are we eating?
À quelle heure est le dîner ?
At what time is dinner?
C'est à quelle heure, le repas ?
What time is the meal?
Cultural Tip
In France, dinner is typically eaten later than in many English-speaking countries, usually between 7:30 PM and 9:00 PM. It is considered the most important social meal of the day where families sit down together to discuss their day.