Ma mère me manque
To say "i miss my mother" in French, use Ma mère me manque.
To add intensity and say that you miss her a lot, you can use the adverb énormément.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is structured so that the person being missed is the subject. It literally translates to "My mother is missing to me".
How does it change in a sentence?
In French, the person who is being missed acts as the subject of the sentence. For example, to say "I miss you" to someone, you would say Tu me manques, which literally means "You are missing to me".
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying Je manque ma mère. English speakers often make this mistake by following English word order, but in French, the person being missed must be the subject of the sentence.
Did you know?
- The word manque is rooted in the Latin mancus, which originally referred to being maimed or missing a limb.
- If you were to say Je manque ma mère instead of the correct form, you would actually be saying 'I am failing my mother' or 'I am skipping my mother' in certain contexts.
- In French, the verb manquer can also mean 'to miss' in the sense of failing to hit a target or missing a train.
Examples in context
- Ma mère me manque beaucoup.I miss my mother very much.This sentence is useful for expressing that you miss your mother very much.Tatoeba #2879178 by Popolon, translation #2267040 by _undertoad
- Ma mère me manque énormément.I miss my mother a lot.
- Ma mère me manque trop, j'ai besoin de la voir bientôt.I miss my mother too much, I need to see her soon.
- Parfois, ma mère me manque.Sometimes, I miss my mother.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are talking about family during a phone call.
- GabrielC'est difficile de vivre ici, ma mère me manque.It is hard living here, I miss my mother.
- LéaJe comprends, Gabriel. On peut l'appeler demain ?I understand, Gabriel. Can we call her tomorrow?
- GabrielOui, ce serait une bonne idée.Yes, that would be a good idea.
- LéaD'accord, je t'appellerai demain pour cela.Okay, I will call you tomorrow for that.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ma, manque, me, mère, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
