je te l'avais dit
The English phrase "I told you" is translated into French as je te l'avais dit.
It is the standard way to say "I told you so."
Meaning: I told you (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The literal translation of je te l'avais dit is "I to you it had said".
Which one should you use?
The default form je te l'avais dit uses the pluperfect tense to emphasize that the warning or information preceded the current event, which makes it the standard way to express "I told you so".
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "I told you" to more than one person or to someone you address formally, replace te with vous.
Did you know?
- If you want to sound more dramatic or accusatory, you can use Je te l'avais bien dit, where 'bien' adds a sense of 'I certainly told you'.
- The word dit comes from the Latin 'dictus', which is also the root of the English word 'dictionary'.
- If a French speaker wants to be even more emphatic than je te l'avais dit, they might use the phrase je t'avais prévenu, which specifically means 'I warned you'.
Examples in context
- Je te l'avais dit !I told you so!This sentence is useful for practicing the expression je te l'avais dit.Tatoeba #1669266 by nimfeo, translation #1461367 by AlanF_US
- Je te l'avais dit, ce film est génial.I told you, this movie is great.
- Tu as vu ? Je te l'avais dit !You saw? I told you!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are talking about a lost key.
- EmmaTu as trouvé tes clés ?Did you find your keys?
- LucasOui, elles étaient sur la table.Yes, they were on the table.
- EmmaJe te l'avais dit, Lucas !I told you, Lucas!
- LucasTu as raison, merci Emma.You are right, thanks Emma.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dit, je, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
