French · Real conversations
How to respond to “Tu voudrais venir dîner ?” in French
An invitation can be accepted, declined, clarified, or considered. Make your response clear enough for the other person to plan.
What you might hear
Tu voudrais venir dîner ?
Would you like to come to dinner?
Choose a reply that fits
Avec plaisir.
I'd love to.
Accept warmly when you can attend.
Merci, mais je ne peux pas.
Thanks, but I can't.
Decline politely without an invented excuse.
Ça commence à quelle heure ?
What time does it start?
Ask for practical information before deciding.
Je peux te donner ma réponse demain ?
Can I let you know tomorrow?
Ask for time and name when you can respond.
Two short exchanges
An invitation to dinner
Tu voudrais venir dîner ?
Would you like to come to dinner?
Avec plaisir.
I'd love to.
A group invitation
Tu voudrais te joindre à nous demain ?
Would you like to join us tomorrow?
Merci, mais je ne peux pas.
Thanks, but I can't.
Your turn
Ask when the event begins before you decide.
Reveal a sample reply
Ça commence à quelle heure ?
What time does it start?
This response guide in other languages
A note on speaking French
Use vous with strangers, staff, and people you address formally; use tu when that relationship is established. Je voudrais and pourriez-vous can make a request considerate. The most appropriate choice depends on the person and the situation.
Keep accents and apostrophes. A familiar spoken expression may differ from its literal English translation. Read the complete line, including the pronoun and the words that connect the request.
