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French Phrase

Tu dors quand ?

/ty dɔʁ kɑ̃/
Meaning"When do you sleep?"
💡

Meaning

Literally ‘You sleep when?’, this question asks someone about the time they usually go to sleep or when they will be sleeping. It can refer to a regular habit (e.g., bedtime) or a specific upcoming night.

🎯

When to use

Use this phrase in informal, spoken contexts with friends, classmates, or family members when you want to know their sleeping schedule or plan a late‑night activity together.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Tudorsquand?

1

Subject pronoun (Tu)

‘Tu’ is the informal second‑person singular pronoun used with friends, family, or peers.

2

Present tense of dormir (dors)

‘Dors’ is the 2nd‑person singular present‑tense form of the verb *dormir* (to sleep).

3

Interrogative adverb (quand)

‘Quand’ means ‘when’ and can be placed at the end of a casual spoken question.

4

Question word order

In informal spoken French the order *subject + verb + question word* is acceptable, but the more formal structures are *Quand dors‑tu ?* or *Est‑ce que tu dors quand ?*

🗨In Conversation

A

Tu dors quand ?

When do you sleep?

Vers 23 h, mais les week‑ends je reste éveillé jusqu’à minuit.

Around 11 p.m., but on weekends I stay up until midnight.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Quand tu dors ?

    Missing inversion or *est‑ce que*; the correct informal order is *Tu dors quand ?*

  • Tu dors à quand ?

    ‘À quand’ is used for future events (e.g., *À quand le prochain train?*), not for asking a time of day.

  • Quand est tu dors ?

    Incorrect inversion; the verb must precede the subject: *Quand dors‑tu ?*

↔Alternatives

  • À quelle heure dors‑tu ?

    At what time do you sleep?

  • Quand est‑ce que tu dors ?

    When is it that you sleep?

  • Tu dors à quelle heure ?

    You sleep at what time?

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Cultural Tip

In everyday conversation French speakers often drop the formal inversion and ask *Tu dors quand ?* This is perfectly natural among peers, but in a polite or professional setting you should use *À quelle heure dors‑vous ?* or the *est‑ce que* construction. Also, note that French people usually talk about bedtime rather than the exact moment they fall asleep, so you may hear answers like *vers 22 h* or *je me couche tard*.