je te tue
The English phrase "I kill you" is translated into French as je te tue.
This phrase is used to express a direct threat to take someone's life.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase je te tue is built from je (I), te (you/thee) and tue (kill/am killing).
Which one should you use?
While je te tue is grammatically a present tense statement, French speakers more commonly use the near future je vais te tuer to express a direct threat of what they are about to do.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use je vous tue instead of je te tue if you are addressing more than one person or using the formal vous to address a single person.
Did you know?
- Because the verb tuer can be used metaphorically, a person might say tu me tues to a friend who is telling a joke that is too funny to handle.
- The single word tueur is used in French slang to describe someone who is incredibly talented or 'killer' at a specific skill, such as playing an instrument.
- Using the formal je vous tue during a heated argument with a close friend can make the threat sound ironically polite or sarcastic.
Example conversation
A heated argument during a dangerous confrontation.
- NathanRends-moi mes clés tout de suite !Give me my keys right now!
- EmmaJe ne te donnerai rien.I will give you nothing.
- NathanJe te tue si tu ne les rends pas !I kill you if you don't give them back!
- EmmaEssaie donc, Nathan.Just try it, Nathan.
