Portuguese Phrase
Já jantaste?
Meaning
Literally, “Already have you dined?” It is the informal way to ask someone if they have already eaten dinner. In English it corresponds to “Have you already had dinner?” or “Did you already eat?”
When to use
Use this phrase in casual conversation with friends, family, or anyone you address with the informal ‘tu’. It’s typical after the usual Portuguese dinner time (around 8‑9 pm) when you want to check if the other person has already eaten.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Jájantaste?
Já (already)
Used before a verb to ask if something has happened earlier than expected; placed at the beginning of the question.
Jantaste (preterite of jantar)
Second‑person singular (tu) form of the verb ‘jantar’ (to have dinner) in the simple past, indicating a completed action.
Implicit subject ‘tu’
In Portuguese, the subject pronoun is often omitted; the verb ending –aste makes it clear the subject is ‘tu’.
Question formation
A simple yes/no question can be formed by placing the adverb (Já) before the verb and adding a question mark; no inversion is needed.
🗨In Conversation
Já jantaste?
Have you already had dinner?
Ainda não, mas vou jantar agora.
Not yet, but I’m going to eat now.
✕Common Mistakes
Já jantou?
‘Jantou’ is the third‑person singular form used with ‘você’; pairing it with the informal ‘tu’ creates a mixed register.
Ja jantaste
Missing the acute accent on ‘Já’ changes the meaning and pronunciation.
Já jantaste?
In Brazil this construction sounds odd; Brazilians would say ‘Já jantou?’ or use ‘comer’ – ‘Já comeu?’
↔Alternatives
Já jantou?
Have you already had dinner? (formal or Brazil)
Já comeste?
Have you already eaten? (using ‘comer’ instead of ‘jantar’)
Já jantaste, não?
You’ve already had dinner, right?
Cultural Tip
In Portugal dinner is usually served later than in many other countries, often around 8‑9 pm. The informal ‘tu’ form is common in everyday speech, especially among younger people and in the north of Portugal. In Brazil the same idea would more likely be expressed with ‘você’ – “Já jantou?” – because the ‘tu’ conjugation is regional and less frequent there.