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Nous déjeunons ensemble au parc.

Nous déjeunons ensemble au parc.
We have lunch together in the park.
FromLesson 27inHardcore French

Breakdown of Nous déjeunons ensemble au parc.

nous
we
ensemble
together
le parc
the park
au
in
déjeuner
to have lunch

Questions & Answers about Nous déjeunons ensemble au parc.

What does "au" mean in "au parc"?

"Au" is the contraction of à + le, meaning "at the" or "to the" before a masculine singular noun. Since parc is masculine, you get au parc. Other forms:

  • Feminine: à la (à la plage)
  • Before vowel/h: à l' (à l’hôpital)
  • Plural: aux (aux jardins)
Why “au parc” and not “dans le parc”?
  • Au parc ≈ "at the park" (general location, not insisting on being inside the boundaries).
  • Dans le parc = "in(side) the park" (emphasizes being within the park’s interior). Both can be fine; choose based on the nuance you want.
What tense is “déjeunons,” and how does it map to English?

It’s the French simple present of déjeuner. French present covers:

  • Right now: "We are having lunch..."
  • Habitual: "We have lunch..."
  • Scheduled/near future (with context): "We’re having lunch... (tomorrow/at noon)."
How do I say “We are going to have lunch together in the park” to highlight the near future?

Use the near future (futur proche):

  • Nous allons déjeuner ensemble au parc. Colloquial with “on”:
  • On va déjeuner ensemble au parc.
How is “déjeuner” conjugated in the present tense?

Regular -ER verb:

  • je déjeune
  • tu déjeunes
  • il/elle déjeune
  • nous déjeunons
  • vous déjeunez
  • ils/elles déjeunent
How do you pronounce the sentence?
  • IPA: [nu deʒœnɔ̃ z‿ɑ̃sɑ̃bl o paʁk]
  • Rough guide: "noo day-zhuh-NOHN z-ahn-SAHN-bl oh park" Notes:
  • The final -s in déjeunons links to the vowel of ensemble with a [z] sound: liaison is optional but common in careful speech.
  • Final -s in nous is silent here.
  • Parc ends with a pronounced [k].
Can I move “ensemble” in the sentence?

Yes. Common options:

What’s the difference between “ensemble” and “avec”?
  • Ensemble = “together” (adverb). It does not take a complement: you can’t say “ensemble Marie.”
  • Avec = “with” (preposition) and needs a complement: Nous déjeunons avec Marie au parc. You can also combine for emphasis: Nous déjeunons tous ensemble avec Marie.
Could I use “on” instead of “nous”?

Yes. In everyday speech, on often replaces nous and means “we,” but the verb is 3rd-person singular:

  • On déjeune ensemble au parc. (more colloquial)
  • Nous déjeunons... (more formal/neutral, common in writing)
How do I make it negative?

Wrap the verb with ne...pas:

  • Nous ne déjeunons pas ensemble au parc. In casual speech, the ne is often dropped: Nous déjeunons pas ensemble au parc.
How do I ask it as a question?

Three common ways:

Does “déjeuner” always mean “lunch”?
In France, déjeuner = lunch. In Quebec/Belgium parts, déjeuner = breakfast, dîner = lunch, souper = dinner. Adjust your vocabulary by region.
Is “ensemble” variable? Do I ever write “ensembles”?
No. Ensemble is invariable (it never changes form). Always write ensemble.
Why not “au le parc”? Do I need “le”?
You don’t write both. Au already contains le. So it’s au parc, not “à le parc” or “au le parc.”
What if I don’t have a specific park in mind? Can I say “at a park”?

Prefer dans un parc (“in a park”) for an unspecified park:

  • Nous déjeunons dans un parc. “À un parc” is uncommon/nonnative-sounding in most contexts.
Any alternatives to stress the ongoing action “We’re in the middle of having lunch...” ?

Use “en train de”:

  • Nous sommes en train de déjeuner ensemble au parc. This explicitly highlights the action in progress.
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Every French noun is either masculine or feminine, and this affects the articles and adjectives used with it. "Le" is used with masculine nouns and "la" with feminine ones. Adjectives also change form to match — for example, "petit" (masc.) becomes "petite" (fem.).

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