Learn French: Tu as ma raquette, tu me la rends après le match ? - You have my racket, are you giving it back to me after the match?

Tu as ma raquette, tu me la rends après le match ?

You have my racket, are you giving it back to me after the match?

Breakdown of Tu as ma raquette, tu me la rends après le match ?

you (informal singular)

Questions & Answers about Tu as ma raquette, tu me la rends après le match ?

Why are the pronouns in the order me la instead of la me?

When you have two object pronouns before a verb, a 1st or 2nd person pronoun (like me, te, nous, or vous) always comes before a 3rd person pronoun (like le, la, or les). So "it to me" translates to me la.

What exactly does la refer to in this sentence?

La means "it" and replaces ma raquette. Because raquette is a feminine noun, you must use the feminine pronoun la to stand in for it.

Could I use retournes instead of rends for "give back"?

No, to return a borrowed object to its owner, you must use the verb rendre. Retourner is mostly used for returning an item to a store for a refund, or for physically turning something over.

Why is the present tense tu me la rends used if the action happens after the match?

Just like in English, French frequently uses the present tense for planned events in the near future. Saying tu me la rends is exactly like saying "are you giving it back" instead of "will you give it back".