Learn French: Tu prends le petit-déjeuner maintenant ?

Tu prends le petit-déjeuner maintenant ?

Are you having breakfast now?

Breakdown of Tu prends le petit-déjeuner maintenant ?

you (informal singular)

maintenant

now

prendre

to have (a meal/drink) / to take

le petit-déjeuner

the breakfast

Questions & Answers about Tu prends le petit-déjeuner maintenant ?

Why is there no 'est-ce que' or flipped word order to make this a question?

In everyday spoken French, you can turn a regular statement into a yes/no question simply by raising the pitch of your voice at the end. On paper, it looks exactly like a normal sentence but with a question mark. This is the most common way to ask casual questions.

Why does the sentence use prends instead of the French verb for 'to have'?

In French, you don't 'have' a meal or a drink, you 'take' it. You will always use the verb prendre (to take) when talking about having breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a coffee.

Why is there a le before petit-déjeuner when English just says 'having breakfast'?

French almost always requires an article before a noun, including meals. Because of this rule, you must say prendre le petit-déjeuner (literally 'to take the breakfast').

How does Tu prends translate to 'Are you having'?

French does not have a separate '-ing' tense like English. The simple present tense Tu prends translates to 'You take', 'You do take', and 'You are taking' (which we translate as 'You are having' in the context of meals).