Portuguese Phrase
A que horas jantas?
Meaning
Literally “At what time do you dinner?”, this informal question asks someone what time they usually have their evening meal. It is common among friends, family members, or coworkers who are planning to meet for dinner.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual conversation when you want to know a person’s dinner schedule, to arrange a meeting, or simply out of curiosity about local eating habits.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Aquehorasjantas?
A que horas
A fixed interrogative phrase meaning “at what time”. It is used to ask for a specific hour.
jantas (2ª pessoa singular)
Present‑indicative of the verb *jantar* (to have dinner) conjugated for “you” (informal).
Subject omission
In Portuguese the subject pronoun *você* is often omitted; the verb ending tells us the subject.
🗨In Conversation
A que horas jantas?
What time do you have dinner?
Normalmente às oito e meia.
Usually at eight‑thirty.
✕Common Mistakes
Às horas jantas?
“Às” means “at the” and is used with a specific hour (e.g., “às oito”). It cannot replace the interrogative “A que horas”.
A que horas janta?
“Janta” is third‑person singular (he/she/it dines). For “you” you need the second‑person form “jantas”.
A que horas você jantas?
Including the subject pronoun is fine, but you must keep the verb agreement: “A que horas você janta?” not “A que horas você jantas?”.
↔Alternatives
A que horas você janta?
At what time do you have dinner?
Quando você janta?
When do you have dinner?
Qual é o horário do seu jantar?
What is the time of your dinner?
Cultural Tip
In most of Brazil dinner is eaten later than in many other countries, often between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Asking "A que horas jantas?" can also be a polite way to suggest meeting for a meal, so be prepared for a later answer than you might expect if you’re used to an earlier dinner schedule.