How to Say “Are You Single?” in French

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tu es célibataire ?
How to say "are you single?" in French is tu es célibataire ?
This phrase is used to ask if someone is not currently in a romantic relationship or married. In flirtatious or casual contexts, you might also hear the colloquial Tu es libre ?, which means "Are you free?" and implies availability. You might also hear Tu as quelqu'un dans ta vie?, which means "Do you have someone in your life?"

Which one should you use?

The default form tu es célibataire ? is informal. For formal situations, you can use Êtes-vous célibataire? or the more indirect Pouvez-vous me dire si vous êtes célibataire?, which means "Can you tell me if you are single?" In colloquial settings, you may hear T'es en couple?, which asks if someone is in a relationship.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

tu es célibataire ? is informal and appropriate for people of a similar age or in casual social settings. For a formal tone, use Êtes-vous célibataire? T'es en couple? is colloquial, and Tu es libre ? is also used in a colloquial, flirtatious way.

How does it change in a sentence?

The default form tu es célibataire ? uses the informal tu pronoun. The adjective célibataire is invariable in gender, meaning it stays the same whether you are asking a man or a woman.

What mistakes should you avoid?

Avoid using seul to mean "single". seul refers to physical solitude rather than relationship status.

Did you know?

  • The word célibataire comes from célibat, which describes the state of celibacy. While it now simply means 'single' in a dating context, it originally carried a much stricter religious connotation.
  • French has a specific word célibataire for relationship status, but it has no single word that captures the nuanced English concept of 'single' as in 'a single piece of paper' or 'a single room'.
  • In French law and official administration, the term célibataire is used as a formal legal status regardless of whether the person has ever been married or is simply not currently in a relationship.

Examples in context

  • Bonjour! Êtes-vous célibataire?
    Hello! Are you single?
  • Es-tu célibataire?
    Are you single?
  • Dis-moi, tu es célibataire ?
    Tell me, are you single?

Example conversation

Nathan and Manon are talking at a party.

  1. Nathan

    Tu es très sympa, Manon.
    You are very nice, Manon.
  2. Manon

    Merci, c'est gentil, Nathan.
    Thank you, that's kind, Nathan.
  3. Nathan

    Je voulais savoir, tu es célibataire ?
    I wanted to know, are you single?
  4. Manon

    Oui, je le suis.
    Yes, I am.

Sources

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Jillian Jenna
Jillian JennaHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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