comment oses-tu
informal, singular
The French phrase for "how dare you" is comment oses-tu. Wiktionary also lists comment osez-vous.
Meaning: used to express indignation and shock at another person's action (intj)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| comment oses-tu | informal, singular |
| comment osez-vous | formal, plural, singular |
This expression is used to express indignation and shock at another person's action.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of comment (how), oses (dare/daring) and tu (you).
Which one should you use?
comment oses-tu is the informal way to say "how dare you", while comment osez-vous is the formal or plural way to say it.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
comment oses-tu is an informal way to say "How dare you!" comment osez-vous is a formal way to say "How dare you!"
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb oser must be conjugated to match the subject tu or vous.
Did you know?
- In a very heated argument, the phrase Comment osez-vous ! can actually sound more insulting than the informal version because it uses a cold, distanced politeness to mock the listener's behavior.
- The verb oser is a linguistic relative of the English word 'audacious', as both stem from the Latin audere, meaning 'to dare'.
- While 'dare' usually implies bravery, the French ne pas oser often translates as being 'too shy' to do something.
Examples in context
- Comment oses-tu dire cela ?How dare you say that?This sentence is useful for asking how someone dares to say something using comment oses-tu.Tatoeba #469749 by sacredceltic, translation #16342 by Zifre
- Comment oses-tu me dire ça ?How dare you tell me that?This sentence is useful for asking how someone dares to tell you something using comment oses-tu.Tatoeba #3922466 by sacredceltic, translation #12377212 by Bernie75
- Comment oses-tu me le dire !How dare you say that to me!This sentence is useful for expressing shock at how someone dares to say something to you using comment oses-tu.Tatoeba #5804340 by Toynop, translation #5800845 by CK
- Comment oses-tu me trahir ainsi !How dare you betray me like this!
- 66 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma is shocked because Hugo took her private diary.
- EmmaComment oses-tu prendre mon journal !How dare you take my diary!
- HugoJe voulais juste lire un petit passage.I just wanted to read a small passage.
- EmmaC'est totalement privé, Hugo.It is totally private, Hugo.
- HugoJe suis désolé, je ne voulais pas te blesser.I am sorry, I did not want to hurt you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how dare you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
