Je veux te tuer
The English phrase "I wanna kill you" is translated into French as Je veux te tuer.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are addressing more than one person or using the formal vous to show respect, the object pronoun changes from te to vous, resulting in Je veux vous tuer.
Did you know?
- The verb tuer actually shares a root with the Latin word tūtārī, which means 'to protect' or 'to ward off'.
- While the phrase is direct, a French speaker might more colloquially use the verb descendre (to go down) in slang to mean 'to kill' or 'to take down' a person.
- Using the formal vous in Je veux vous tuer would sound absurdly polite, as if you were making a formal business proposal to commit a crime.
Examples in context
- Je veux te tuer pour ce que tu as fait.I want to kill you for what you did.
- Arrête de rire, je veux te tuer !Stop laughing, I want to kill you!
Example conversation
A playful argument between two friends playing a video game.
- GabrielTu as encore gagné ? Je veux te tuer !You won again? I want to kill you!
- EmmaDésolée, Gabriel, mais je suis trop forte.Sorry, Gabriel, but I am too good.
- GabrielJe veux te tuer dans le prochain niveau.I want to kill you in the next level.
- EmmaBonne chance, alors !Good luck, then!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, te, tuer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
