How to Say “You Miss Someone” in French

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quelqu'un te manque
To say "you miss someone" in French, use quelqu'un te manque.
This phrase is used to express that you feel sadness because a person you care about is not with you.

What does it mean word for word?

The expression is built around the verb manquer, which literally means "to be missing" or "to be lacking".

How does it change in a sentence?

In French, the grammatical structure is the reverse of English: the person being missed is the subject of the sentence. In the phrase quelqu'un te manque, the pronoun te (you) acts as the indirect object, which literally translates to "someone is missing to you".

What mistakes should you avoid?

Avoid using the English word order by saying Je manque quelqu'un. In French, this actually means "I am lacking someone" or "I am missing from someone" in a different sense.

Did you know?

  • The word manque was borrowed from the Italian word manco, which originally referred to being maimed or lacking a limb.
  • In a romantic context, French speakers often use the phrase tu me manques as a way to say 'I love you' without using the word amour.
  • The verb manquer is used to describe everything from missing a person to missing a train or missing a target in archery.

Examples in context

  • Cher(e) [name], votre absence me pèse énormément. Vous me manquez plus que jamais. J'espère vous revoir bientôt.
    Dear [name], your absence weighs heavily on me. I miss you more than ever. I hope to see you soon.
  • Salut, tu me manques beaucoup. J'ai hâte de te revoir pour passer du bon temps ensemble.
    Hey, I miss you a lot. I can't wait to see you again and have a great time together.
  • Est-ce que quelqu'un te manque ?
    Do you miss someone?
  • Je sais que quelqu'un te manque beaucoup.
    I know that you miss someone a lot.
  • Si quelqu'un te manque, appelle-le.
    If you miss someone, call him.

Example conversation

Chloé and Hugo are talking about moving to a new city.

  1. Chloé

    Tu as l'air triste, Hugo.
    You look sad, Hugo.
  2. Hugo

    Oui, c'est juste que quelqu'un me manque.
    Yes, it's just that I miss someone.
  3. Chloé

    Je comprends, quelqu'un te manque toujours au début.
    I understand, you always miss someone at the beginning.
  4. Hugo

    C'est vrai, c'est difficile d'être loin.
    That's true, it's hard to be far away.

Sources

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Edith Brittany
Edith BrittanyHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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