Mi sei mancato
The English phrase "i have missed you" can be said in Italian as Mi sei mancato.
You can use Mi sei mancato/a da morire to emphasize how much you have missed someone.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally translated, Mi sei mancato means "You were missing to me", where the person who was missed acts as the subject of the sentence.
Which one should you use?
The ending of the phrase changes based on the gender of the person you are addressing: use mancato for a man and mancata for a woman.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are speaking to a woman, the past participle must change to the feminine form mancata.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes mistakenly say Io ti ho mancato by using the direct object "ti" (you) as if the verb follows English logic. In Italian, the person being missed is actually the subject of the sentence.
Did you know?
- The word sei in this phrase comes from the Latin 'sex', which is the same root found in the English word 'six'.
- While Mi sei mancato is common, Italians often use the phrase Mi manchi in the present tense to express the same feeling, even if the person is standing right in front of them.
- The word mancato is also used as an adjective to describe a 'failed' attempt or a 'near-miss', such as un mancato incontro for a missed meeting.
Examples in context
- Anche tu mi sei mancato, Tom.I have missed you too, Tom.This sentence is useful for showing how to respond to someone by saying you missed them too using Mi sei mancato.Tatoeba #9967158 by Guybrush88, translation #9956960 by Matteusmauritz
- Ciao Luca! Mi sei mancato tantissimo!Hi Luca! I have missed you so much!
- Mi sei mancato molto durante il viaggio.I missed you a lot during the trip.
- Finalmente sei tornato, mi sei mancato.You are finally back, I missed you.
- 1 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina meets Francesco at the train station after his long trip.
- MartinaChe bello vederti, Francesco!How good to see you, Francesco!
- FrancescoAnche per me è un piacere, Martina.It is a pleasure for me too, Martina.
- MartinaMi sei mancato tanto.I missed you so much.
- FrancescoGrazie, sei molto dolce.Thank you, you are very sweet.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mi, sei, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
