Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| je ne te le fais pas dire | /ʒə n(ə) tə l(ə) fɛ pa diʁ/ /ʒə n(ə) tə l(ə) fɛ pɑ diʁ/ |
| ne m'en parle pas | /nə m‿ɑ̃ paʁ.l(ə) pa/ /nə m‿ɑ̃ paʁ.l(ə) pɑ/ |
| sans blague | /sɑ̃ blaɡ/ |
je ne te le fais pas dire is used to express strong agreement with a statement that the speaker has personally experienced or finds self-evidently true.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase je ne te le fais pas dire literally translates to "I am not making you say it".
Which one should you use?
While je ne te le fais pas dire is a general expression of agreement, ne m'en parle pas carries a stronger tone of exasperation or annoyance regarding the subject, similar to saying "don't even talk to me about it". Additionally, sans blague is used to react to something that is already obvious or slightly sarcastic.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase sans blague is an informal way to express this sentiment. Conversely, if you actually want to ask someone to provide more information, you might use the polite form Parlez-moi-en (Speak to me about it) or Dis-m'en plus (Tell me more about it).
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒə n(ə) tə l(ə) fɛ pa diʁ/
Did you know?
- In old French, people could replace pas with other nouns to emphasize a negative, such as goutte for 'a drop' or mie for 'a crumb'.
- While English speakers use 'tell me about it' to agree, using the literal French translation Parlez-moi-en would actually result in the listener giving you a long, detailed explanation.
Examples in context
- Vous semblez avoir beaucoup d'expérience dans ce domaine. Parlez-moi-en.You seem to have a lot of experience in this field. Tell me about it.
- Tu es allé en vacances à Paris ? Raconte-moi tout !You went on vacation to Paris? Tell me everything!
- J'adore ton nouveau projet. Dis-m'en plus.I love your new project. Tell me more about it.
- Je suis curieux(se), raconte !I'm curious, tell me!
- Parle-moi de tes vacances !Tell me about your vacation!
- Ça a l'air intéressant, raconte !That sounds interesting, tell me!
- Je ne te le fais pas dire, c'est un enfer.Tell me about it, it's a nightmare.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Manon are complaining about their long commute.
- GabrielLe trajet pour venir ici est vraiment interminable.The commute to get here is truly endless.
- ManonJe ne te le fais pas dire, Gabriel !Tell me about it, Gabriel!
- GabrielOn a perdu une heure dans les bouchons.We lost an hour in traffic jams.
- ManonC'est exactement la même chose pour moi.It's exactly the same for me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tell me about it” translations and entries je ne te le fais pas dire, ne m'en parle pas, sans blague, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dire, je, je ne te le fais pas dire, le, ne, ne m'en parle pas, pas, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
