What does it mean word for word?
The phrase mi manchi is literally translated as "you are missing to me", where mi means "to me" and manchi is the second-person singular form of the verb mancare (to be missing).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase mi manchi uses the singular form of the verb and is used when speaking to one person. To say "I miss you" to a group of people, you must use the plural form mi mancate. If the thing or person being missed is singular (but not the person being spoken to), the verb changes to mi manca, such as when saying "I miss it", "I miss him" or "I miss her".
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /mi ˈman.ki/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd of 3.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say io ti manco when they mean "I miss you". However, io ti manco actually means "you miss me".
Did you know?
- The verb mancare can also mean 'to fail' or 'to be insufficient', meaning that the phrase for 'I miss you' is built from a word that can describe a failure.
- The verb mancare is used in Italian to describe not just emotional longing but also a physical shortage of something, such as when a recipe is missing a pinch of salt.
- The pronoun mi in mi manchi is a contraction of the older Latin form mihi, which means 'to me'.
Examples in context
- Tu mi manchi già.I miss you already.This sentence is useful for saying "I miss you already" using mi manchi.Tatoeba #3049985 by Guybrush88, translation #2280311 by CK
- Tu mi manchi, Tom.I miss you, Tom.This sentence is useful for addressing someone by name, such as Tom, using mi manchi.Tatoeba #2001781 by Guybrush88, translation #1887572 by CK
- Oh, come mi manchi!Oh, how I miss you!This sentence is useful for expressing emphasis, such as "Oh, how I miss you!", using mi manchi.Tatoeba #11728357 by Guybrush88, translation #5716367 by zumley
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Giulia are talking on the phone after a long distance trip.
- FrancescoCiao Giulia, come stai?Hi Giulia, how are you?
- GiuliaBene, ma mi manchi, Francesco.Fine, but I miss you, Francesco.
- FrancescoAnche tu mi manchi molto.I miss you a lot too.
- GiuliaNon vedo l'ora di vederti.I can't wait to see you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I miss you” translations and entries mi manchi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
