To ask “Are you open?” in French, the most common and natural phrasing is:

Êtes‑vous ouvert ?
(formal / polite)

or more simply:

Vous êtes ouvert ?
(neutral, everyday)

If you’re asking about a shop, store, or business, you can also say:

C’est ouvert ?
(Is it open?)

Quick Scoop

Core phrase (formal)

  • Êtes‑vous ouvert ?
    • Used when speaking politely to staff, in writing, or in a formal context.
* If the place is plural (e.g., multiple people), you can say **Êtes‑vous ouverts ?** with an extra _s_.

Everyday / neutral phrasing

  • Vous êtes ouvert ?
    • Slightly less formal, very common in spoken French.
* Also fine as **Vous êtes ouverts ?** when addressing a group.

Very short / casual

  • C’est ouvert ?
    • Short, colloquial way to ask “Is it open?” about a shop or place.
* Great for quick checks while walking around a city.

How to adapt the phrase

Adding “today” or a day

You can extend the question:

  • Êtes‑vous ouvert aujourd’hui ? – “Are you open today?”
  • Êtes‑vous ouvert le dimanche ? – “Are you open on Sunday?”
  • Vous êtes ouvert ce soir ? – “Are you open this evening?”

Polite introductions

In shops or restaurants, it’s natural to start with a polite phrase:

  • Excusez‑moi, êtes‑vous ouvert ? – “Excuse me, are you open?”
  • Bonsoir, vous êtes ouvert ? – “Good evening, are you open?”
  • Pourriez‑vous me dire si vous êtes ouvert ? – “Could you tell me if you are open?”

Formal vs informal table

Situation| French phrase| Level
---|---|---
Shop / business (polite)| Êtes‑vous ouvert ?| Formal, standard
Casual conversation| Vous êtes ouvert ?| Neutral, common
Quick street question| C’est ouvert ?| Very informal, short
To a group of people| Êtes‑vous ouverts ?| Formal, plural
With “today”| Êtes‑vous ouvert aujourd’hui ?| Formal + time reference

Example mini stories

1. Bakery in Paris

You walk up to a small bakery in Paris, unsure if it’s still serving:

Vous: Bonsoir, excusez‑moi, êtes‑vous ouvert ?
Baker: Oui, bien sûr, nous sommes ouvert jusqu’à 20 heures.

You’ve politely asked if they’re open, and they confirm the hours.

2. Quick check in Quebec

In Quebec City, you’re near a shop and just want a fast answer:

Vous: C’est ouvert ?
Shopkeeper: Oui, allez‑y, on est ouvert.

Here, C’est ouvert ? is the natural, quick way to check.

3. Asking about Sunday

You’re planning a trip and need to know if a museum is open on Sunday:

Vous: Bonjour, êtes‑vous ouvert le dimanche ?
Staff: Oui, nous sommes ouvert toute la semaine, sauf le mardi.

This shows how adding le dimanche makes the question specific and useful for planning.

pronunciation hints

  • Êtes‑vous → roughly “eh‑teh voo”
  • ouvert → “oh‑vair” (like “over” with a softer r)
  • C’est ouvert ? → “seh oh‑vair”

Practice saying:
“Bonsoir, vous êtes ouvert ?”
or
“C’est ouvert today ?” (mixing in English for memory) → then replace today with aujourd’hui. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.