Portuguese Phrase
O que você come na cantina?
Meaning
A direct question asking someone what they usually eat at the cafeteria. It can be used to start a conversation about food preferences or to learn about typical cafeteria dishes.
When to use
Use this sentence when you’re at school, university, or a workplace and you want to know what a colleague or classmate usually eats for lunch or a snack in the on‑site cafeteria.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Oquevocêcomenacantina?
O que (interrogative)
Used to ask about something; it functions like 'what' in English.
você (subject pronoun)
Second‑person singular pronoun; often used in informal conversation.
come (present of comer)
Third‑person singular present form of the verb ‘comer’ (to eat).
na (em + a)
Contraction of the preposition ‘em’ (in/on) with the feminine article ‘a’, meaning ‘in the’.
cantina (noun)
A place where meals are served, typically at schools, workplaces or universities.
🗨In Conversation
O que você come na cantina?
What do you eat in the cafeteria?
Eu geralmente como arroz com feijão e frango grelhado.
I usually eat rice with beans and grilled chicken.
✕Common Mistakes
O que você comer na cantina?
The verb must be conjugated to match the subject ‘você’; use ‘come’ not the infinitive ‘comer’.
O que você come cantina?
Do not omit the preposition; ‘na’ (in the) is required before ‘cantina’.
O que tu come na cantina?
In very formal contexts you might need ‘o senhor/a senhora’; using ‘você’ in informal speech is correct.
↔Alternatives
O que você costuma comer na cantina?
What do you usually eat in the cafeteria?
Qual é a sua refeição favorita na cantina?
What’s your favorite meal in the cafeteria?
O que tem de bom na cantina hoje?
What’s good in the cafeteria today?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, a ‘cantina’ is often a modest, self‑service spot that serves typical Brazilian dishes like rice, beans, farofa, and grilled meats. The menu can change daily, so asking about what’s on the menu is a common way to start a friendly chat. Keep the tone informal; using ‘você’ is perfectly natural in most regions, but in very formal settings you might hear ‘o senhor/a senhora’ instead.