hé toi
The English phrase "hey you" is translated into French as hé toi.
hé toi is an informal way to get someone's attention or to greet a person you know well. Depending on your tone of voice and the context, the phrase can range from being friendly to being confrontational.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the interjection hé (hey) and the stressed pronoun toi (you).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hé toi is an informal expression. If you need to get someone's attention in a formal way, you should use Excusez-moi, monsieur/madame (Excuse me, sir/madam). For other informal greetings, you might use Salut (Hey/Hi) or the more affectionate Coucou (Hey/Hi). If you are speaking to a friend or someone you are close to, you can also use Salut toi to mean "Hey you".
Did you know?
- While hé toi is common, French people often use coucou to greet someone they love, a word that mimics the sound of a cuckoo bird.
- Using hé toi with a stranger in France is considered significantly more rude than saying 'hey you' in English, as it ignores the strict social boundary of the formal vous.
- The word toi descends directly from the Latin pronoun tē, which was used in Classical Latin for the accusative and ablative forms.
Examples in context
- Hé toi, ferme-la !Hey you, shut up!This sentence shows how hé toi can be used in a confrontational way to tell someone to shut up.Tatoeba #10801 by sacredceltic, translation #65175 by fanty
- Hé toi, petit, comment t'appelles-tu ?Hey you, boy, what is your name?This sentence shows how hé toi can be used to address a boy.Tatoeba #6864028 by GB3, translation #3305111 by oyd11
- Hé toi.Hey you.This sentence shows a simple use of hé toi to get someone's attention.Tatoeba #8984228 by Micsmithel, translation #8159499 by anjan
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel sees Emma walking away in a park.
- GabrielHé toi, attends-moi !Hey you, wait for me!
- EmmaOh, salut Gabriel !Oh, hi Gabriel!
- GabrielTu vas où comme ça ?Where are you going like that?
- EmmaJe vais juste me promener.I'm just going for a walk.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries toi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
