French Phrase
T'es arrivé quand ?
Meaning
Literally, "You arrived when?" It’s an informal way to ask someone the time they arrived, typically used among friends or peers. The tone is casual and the sentence relies on spoken contractions.
When to use
Use this phrase in everyday conversation, especially in informal settings like meeting a friend, chatting on the phone, or texting. Avoid it in formal writing or when speaking to someone you must address politely (e.g., a boss or a stranger you don’t know well).
✦Grammar Breakdown
T'esarrivéquand?
Contraction "T'es"
In spoken French, "tu es" contracts to "t'es"; the apostrophe replaces the missing vowel and the two words are pronounced together.
Passé composé with être
The verb "arriver" uses "être" as its auxiliary; the past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject.
Question word placement
In informal speech, the interrogative "quand" can be placed at the end of the sentence instead of the front.
Agreement of the past participle
If you ask a female, say "T'es arrivée quand ?" (add an extra "e").
🗨In Conversation
T'es arrivé quand ?
When did you arrive?
Je suis arrivé à dix-huit heures.
I arrived at six p.m.
✕Common Mistakes
Tu es arrivé quand ?
While grammatically correct, native speakers rarely use this exact order in casual speech; the contracted form and end‑position of "quand" sound more natural.
T'es arrivé quand
Missing the question mark can make the sentence look like a statement rather than a question.
T'es arrivé quand ?
The past participle must agree with a female subject: "T'es arrivée quand ?"
↔Alternatives
Tu es arrivé(e) à quelle heure ?
At what time did you arrive?
Quand es‑tu arrivé(e) ?
When did you arrive?
À quelle heure es‑tu arrivé(e) ?
At what time did you arrive?
Cultural Tip
The contraction "t'es" is ubiquitous in everyday French, but it’s considered too casual for formal contexts. Also, French speakers often place "quand" at the end of a question for a more relaxed feel. Remember to adjust the past participle (arrivé/arrivée) to match the gender of the person you’re speaking to.