manquer
/mɑ̃.ke/
The English verb miss can be translated into French using manquer, which is the default form. Wiktionary also lists regretter.
Meaning: to feel the absence of someone or something, to feel the want or need of (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| manquer | /mɑ̃.ke/ |
| regretter | /ʁə.ɡʁɛ.te/ /ʁə.ɡʁe.te/ |
When you want to express that you feel the absence of someone or something, or feel a sense of want or need, you use manquer.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb manquer literally means 'to lack' or 'to be missing'.
Which one should you use?
While manquer is the standard way to express missing someone, regretter is another form that can be used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing that you miss someone, the grammatical structure is inverted compared to English. The person being missed is the subject, and the person feeling the loss is the indirect object introduced by à.
How do you pronounce it?
manquer is pronounced /mɑ̃.ke/ and has 2 syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the direct object structure 'Je manque toi' to say 'I miss you'. Instead, use the correct indirect structure Tu me manques.
Did you know?
- The word manquer shares an ancestral root with the English word 'maimed', as it stems from the Italian 'manco'.
- The word manquer can also be used to mean 'to fail' or 'to miss a target', such as missing a goal in football.
- While manquer is used for people, regretter is often used when you miss a specific place or a time in your life, such as 'regretting' the days of youth.
Examples in context
- Tu vas me manquer.I'll miss you.This sentence shows how to use manquer.Tatoeba #10203 by sacredceltic, translation #71632 by CK
- Tu vas nous manquer.We're going to miss you.Tatoeba #3693579 by Elliv, translation #3310756 by CK
- Ils vont me manquer.I'm going to miss them.Tatoeba #11969151 by Bernie75, translation #3911942 by CH
- Bonjour, Mademoiselle Martin. Comment allez-vous aujourd'hui?Hello, Miss Martin. How are you today?
- Veuillez compléter le formulaire, Mlle Dubois.Please complete the form, Miss Dubois.
- 161 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Manon are saying goodbye at the airport.
- GabrielJe vais beaucoup manquer de toi.I am going to miss you a lot.
- ManonMoi aussi, tu vas me manquer.Me too, I will miss you.
- GabrielOn s'appelle très vite alors.We will call each other very soon then.
- ManonOui, promis. Bon voyage !Yes, promised. Have a good trip!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “miss” translations and entries manquer, regretter, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries manquer, regretter, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
