Tu me manques, mon amour
The English phrase 'I miss you, my love' is translated into French as Tu me manques, mon amour.
This phrase is an expression used to tell a romantic partner that you feel sadness because they are not with you. You can increase the intensity of this feeling by adding the adverb tellement, which means 'so much'.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you use the formal vous for a romantic partner, the verb must change to the second-person plural form, resulting in Vous me manquez, mon amour. Another informal variation is Tu me manques à mourir, mon chéri(e), which means 'I miss you to death, my darling'.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say Je te manque when they intend to say 'I miss you', but this actually translates to 'You miss me'.
Did you know?
- While mon amour is masculine, it is used as a gender-neutral term of endearment for any romantic partner regardless of their gender.
- Using vous instead of tu in a romantic context was common in the 17th and 18th centuries to show respect and courtly love.
- The French structure of Tu me manques is completely inverted compared to English. Instead of 'I miss you', the sentence literally translates to 'You are missing to me', making the person who is gone the subject of the sentence.
Examples in context
- Tu me manques, mon amour. Chaque jour sans toi est un jour vide.I miss you, my love. Every day without you is an empty day.
- Chaque jour, tu me manques, mon amour.Every day, I miss you, my love.
- Sache que tu me manques, mon amour.Know that I miss you, my love.
Example conversation
A couple is talking on the phone late at night.
- ManonJe n'arrive pas à dormir.I can't sleep.
- GabrielPourquoi, Manon ?Why, Manon?
- ManonParce que tu me manques, mon amour.Because I miss you, my love.
- GabrielMoi aussi, je t'aime.Me too, I love you.
