tu me manques
/ty mə mɑ̃k/
The English phrase "missing you" can be expressed in French as tu me manques.
This expression is used to convey that you feel sadness because someone is not with you. You can intensify this feeling by saying Tu me manques trop to mean "I miss you too much". If you want to describe the feeling more poetically, you might say Je ressens ton absence or Je ressens votre absence (I feel your absence) or Ton absence me pèse or Votre absence me pèse to convey that the person's absence weighs on you. You can also say C'est triste sans toi to mean "It's sad without you".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is structured differently than English. It is literally translated as "you are missing to me".
How does it change in a sentence?
In French, the person being missed is actually the subject of the sentence. Because of this, to say "I miss her", you say elle me manque. Furthermore, to say "I miss you" to more than one person or to a single person in a formal setting, you use vous me manquez.
How do you pronounce it?
/ty mə mɑ̃k/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to say je te manque when you want to say "I miss you". Doing so actually means "you miss me".
Did you know?
- While tu me manques is the standard way to express longing, the verb manquer also means 'to fail' or 'to miss' a target, such as missing a train or a goal in football.
- The phrase tu me manques is often paired with the gesture of a kiss on both cheeks, the 'la bise', when the people finally reunite.
- The word me in tu me manques traces back to the Latin 'mihi', which is the dative case. This explains why the phrase is grammatically structured as 'you are missing to me' rather than 'I miss you'.
Examples in context
- Salut! Tu me manques trop, ça semble si vide sans toi.Hi! I miss you too much, it seems so empty without you.
- Tu me manques beaucoup.I miss you a lot.
- Oh, tu me manques déjà.Oh, I miss you already.
- Tu me manques tellement.I miss you so much.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are talking on the phone before a long trip.
- ChloéBon voyage, mais tu me manques déjà.Have a good trip, but I miss you already.
- GabrielC'est gentil, moi aussi tu me manques.That's kind, I miss you too.
- ChloéÀ bientôt, mon cher Gabriel.See you soon, my dear Gabriel.
- GabrielÀ bientôt, Chloé.See you soon, Chloé.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry tu me manques, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries me, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
