Nous déjeunons ensemble au parc.

We have lunch together in the park.

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:

• Nous déjeunons ensemble au parc. (neutral, very natural)
• Nous déjeunons au parc ensemble. (also fine) Putting it before the verb is not idiomatic.

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:

• Intonation: Nous déjeunons ensemble au parc ?
• Est-ce que: Est-ce que nous déjeunons ensemble au parc ?
• Inversion (formal): Déjeunons-nous ensemble au parc ?

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.